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Subcommittee forwards plan to consolidate pre‑K at Connelly; district flags staffing and facility needs
Summary
Superintendent proposed consolidating 33 pre‑K classrooms at the Connelly site next year (current enrollment 471, capacity 631), which would require transfers of staff, additional custodial and nursing coverage, classroom furniture, outdoor fencing and schedule changes; subcommittee voted to refer the plan to the full committee.
The Fall River Special Education, Alternative Education and Early Childhood Subcommittee heard a one‑page summary of the district’s early‑childhood plan and voted to forward the proposal to the full committee for additional review and resource planning.
Superintendent said the district currently operates 33 pre‑K classrooms: 18 at the Early Learning Center at Bishop Conley, 5 at the Fall River Learning Center and 10 in four elementary schools (named in the record as Sylvia, Spencer, Board and Dorny Green). Enrollment is 471 with a capacity of 631, leaving about 160 openings. The proposal for next year would consolidate the 33 classrooms at the Connolly site, which the superintendent said would require staff transfers and additional supports.
Anticipated needs identified by the superintendent include classroom‑appropriate furniture and storage (existing furniture in some schools is designed for kindergarten and not pre‑K), a full‑time second‑shift custodian, a full‑time nurse, an SEL liaison or behavior therapist to work with the BCBA staff moving to the site, fenced outdoor recess for 4‑year‑olds, and revised arrival/dismissal schedules to reduce bus congestion. The Connolly lease is in place through 2027, and the superintendent described the consolidation as a plan for the next school year with future decisions tied to redistricting conversations.
Committee members asked whether the listed needs have priorities; the superintendent said classroom furniture and staffing needs would come first. Members expressed concern about the logistics of accommodating roughly 600 students at one site and requested the superintendent provide the redistricting committee membership, meeting dates and additional cost estimates. One member urged the district to avoid doing the consolidation “on the cheap” and to return with clear resource requests.
A motion to refer the early‑childhood consolidation plan to the full committee was made and seconded; the committee approved the referral by voice vote. No final consolidation or budget decisions were made at the subcommittee meeting; the item will be considered by the full committee, which will review cost and operational details before any implementation.
