CLARKSBURG, Mass. — School officials last week voted to open five school-choice slots in first grade but held off on a decision for kindergarten.

 

These are first open spots since 2023 as the school's residential enrollment has risen over the past few years. But with 12 pupils forecast for Grade 1, officials felt confident in opening school choice. 

 

"We've gone over the last five years or so that the understanding is if a grade level had 18 students, we wouldn't open additional school choice slots to keep the numbers reasonable," said Superintendent John Franzoni at last week's School Committee meeting. "We're pretty tight right now in numbers and we've  seen the last two years, especially, a increase in number of families that have moved into Clarksburg over the summer."

 

That potential for more residential children had the committee delaying a decision on kindergarten, which currently has 15 children. Franzoni and Principal Sandra Cote said those numbers could change over the next few months either up or down. 

 

"So I would say with kindergarten, we probably want to wait on that one until the second window at the end of the summer," said Franzoni.

 

He noted that the five new school-choice children will offset the seven who will be graduating from Grade 8 in June. 

 

Projected enrollment figures for next year include 19 in Grade 2; 20 in Grade 3; 22 in Grade 4; 23 in Grade 5; 19 in Grade 6; 22 in Grade 7, and 29 in Grade 8. 

 

The junior high classes are tight but Franzoni recommended against splitting Grades 7 or 8. He didn't think there would be many school choice applicants for what would be the last years at the school at an age when students may be more interested in opportunities like music and sports at the area high schools. 

 

Plus, he said, "one things we're talking about in our budget is to save money is cutting back on our dean of students position, and we're going to do that then the last thing I want to do is add junior high kids." 

 

The schools in the Northern Berkshire School Union will be cracking down on residency requirements. Franzoni expected a policy to be presented for a vote in June that will require parents/guardians to provide at least three proofs of residence. 

 

The school district has had issues with false rental agreements and incorrect addresses given for children who live outside of town, and outside of the state. 

 

The superintendent said the office at Drury High School has been good in communicating with NBSU and that several students had been taken off the Clarksburg tuition list because they are not from Clarksburg. 

 

The School Committee has always been supportive of allowing students to finish out the school year in Clarksburg when their families have moved mid-year, he said, "but you don't just get to grandfather in because you were here previously."

 

It's not just a financial issue, Franzoni continued, but a safety issue as well. 

 

"If we don't have the correct address for families, and there's some kind of situation where we have to send them home, or if this child is not feeling well, or whatever it might be, it's important that the families have provided us with accurate. information about where they reside," he said. 

 

In other business:

 

Town is working with the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission on grant that could cover parts of the roof and other upgrades at the school and an accessibility grant on the bathrooms. Also looking for grant funding for the kindergarten floor.

 

The summer program will start July 1 with three days the first week and then three weeks following the Fourth. This is a shorter program to prepare for a possible loss of funding but there are some funds from last year and parent and special education donations to cover.

 

This will clear up the rest of the summer for work on the roof which is expected to start July 28.

 

Franzoni said the committee could not vote on the budget as set in the agenda because the numbers aren't finalized based on last week's joint meeting with the town. Barnes reported that officials will sit with the town account and administrator on Tuesday to clarify some numbers and transfers to appropriate accounts for this year.

 

The committee tentatively set a meeting to vote the budget for May 13.

 

The last day of school is a half-day on June 13; eighth-graders graduate on June 12. The school calendar for next year was also set giving students a full two weeks off as New Year's Day falls on Thursday.