Information on the Closure of MacDougal School

Basis for Recommendation to Close MacDougal School

On November 5^th, 2009 the RSU 13 School Board voted 614 to 305 to close MacDougal School. MacDougal School is used for the education of children living in Rockland in Kindergarten and grade 1. The RSU 13 Board of Education recommends closing MacDougal School based on lack of need, as indicated below.

1. Current enrollment in grades K-5 at MacDougal and South Schools combined is 359 students. Moving 5^th grade to Rockland District Middle School leaves 300 children in grades K-4 at South School. Enrollment projections from the State Planning Office indicate that K-5 enrollments should be 379 this year and will climb to 409 students after a single high year of 435 in 2011-2012. This is due to higher than normal kindergarten enrollments. The State projection is higher than our local projection in the first three years and lower in the following three years, which points out the difficulties in projecting student enrollments and the necessity to have contingency plans when there are unexpected changes in enrollments. The RSU 13 Board is considering how to use all buildings in the RSU in the future. This will involve consideration of grade placement for all schools and towns in the RSU. 
2. South School, currently serving grades 2-5, will serve grades K-4 if MacDougal closes. 5^th grade will move to Rockland District Middle School, which is attached to South School. The net increase of one grade level at South School will be accommodated by the reduction in teaching positions as a result of declining enrollments and economic conditions. 
3. The Board has voted to close MacDougal School effective July 1, 2010.
4. Since all buses that deliver children to MacDougal School also stop at South School, there are no changes in transportation associated with this school closing.
5. There is no debt service on MacDougal School. Lease-purchases on computers and photocopiers will continue as the equipment is moved to South School. 
6. The RSU 13 Board has not determined whether to keep the MacDougal School building for future use of the building or land, or to turn it over to the City of Rockland.
7. The financial impact of closing MacDougal School, calculated as required by the Department of Education, is an annual savings of $363,132.93 for RSU 13.
8. There are two reasons for closing this school: declining enrollments and condition of the facility. With declining enrollments over a period of years, there is room for students by reallocating space in the campus on Broadway that includes South School and Rockland District Middle School. MacDougal School is an older school building with many maintenance shortcomings. An engineering study of the facility conducted during the summer of 2009 indicates well over $1,500,000 in costs to bring the building up to date and remediate all facilities problems. At this time the School Board does not feel this expenditure is warranted, since there is space at South School and Rockland District Middle School.