Teachers and union say Rolling Green preschool move to Robinson lacks planning; impact bargaining ongoing

Teachers and union representatives urged the Mansfield School Committee on May 6 to involve staff directly in planning for the closure of Rolling Green and the relocation of Little Hornets preschool to Robinson School, saying the transition has moved forward with insufficient consultation.

Bridgette Brown, a teacher at Rolling Green and a Mansfield resident, told the committee she and colleagues feel “blindsided” by the decision and described the announced move as “an idea without a plan.” Brown said staff who work in the buildings were not consulted about space needs, timelines or logistics and asked the committee to tour Robinson with teachers to review maps and classroom configurations before decisions are finalized.

A negotiator for the Massachusetts Teachers Association‑affiliated unit said union members and teachers walked the Robinson site, compared maps, and are supporting the move of the preschool but that continued discussions are taking place through the district’s impact bargaining process. Committee members and the union repeatedly noted that bargaining protocols limit what negotiators can say publicly while negotiations are active.

School leaders did not announce a final timeline or vote on the move during the meeting. Members of the committee and union representatives said impact bargaining sessions are scheduled; union staff asked for committee members to attend bargaining sessions and site visits to ensure staff views are considered before final implementation steps are taken.

Union and teacher speakers also asked the committee for clearer lines of accountability about whom staff should contact with questions; members acknowledged the request and said staff would follow established bargaining and administrative channels. The committee did not set a new public deadline for a final decision on the building reconfiguration during the meeting.