School board schedules community town halls to address Lewis and Clark Elementary capacity
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Summary
After discussing enrollment projections and capacity concerns, the board agreed to hold published town halls (with staff present) to explain options for Lewis and Clark Elementary and district‑level capacity; district staff will prepare a polished presentation and aim to hold meetings the week after spring break.
The Caroline County School Board agreed to organize community town halls to present enrollment data and gather feedback on capacity solutions, with a special focus on Lewis and Clark Elementary.
Chair Lydell Fortune and multiple board members said the district should engage families directly and provide a clear presentation of the data, funding constraints and proposed options. ‘‘I think it would be very valuable for those parents to hear how crucial the situation is at Lewis and Clark and to hear what we plan to do about it and how we can move forward,’’ one board member said.
Board members emphasized that town halls should be published meetings with staff present so factual, operational questions (budget numbers, timeframes, facility alternatives including potential learning cottages) can be answered. Mr. Taylor noted he will not attend off‑dais meetings that purport to represent the board and urged that any town halls be coordinated and supported by staff. Dr. Sarah Calverick said staff can prepare a polished slide deck and recommended scheduling the events the week after spring break to allow time for publicity and for the chief operations officer to be available.
Board members asked that the presentation explain enrollment numbers, the March 31 funding cutoff tied to ADM, and why some solutions are not feasible without additional funding. Superintendent Calverick and staff committed to follow‑up logistics and to provide dates for board review and public notice.
Next steps: district staff to prepare presentation materials, coordinate advertising and propose dates for town halls the week after spring break; all meetings will be published so interested board members and the public can attend.
