By: Stephanie Prokop
CHESTERFIELD A group of township residents has organized to push for the passage of a referendum to build a new elementary school.
Former school board member Susan Layton told the approximately 40 parents and other residents who gathered in the elementary school library May 10 that the group needs to "identify how we’re going to educate the public" about the facts concerning the referendum. She described the meeting as a "key communicator/grass-roots meeting" for forming committees to get a referendum passed in December.
This will be the school board’s third attempt to gain voter approval to build a new elementary school. In December 2003 voters defeated a $17.5 million referendum under which taxpayers would have been responsible for $14 million of the cost; in December 2005 voters defeated a $19.5 million referendum under which taxpayers would have been responsible for $16 million.
After some discussion at last week’s meeting, the group decided to hand out and display citrus-green ribbons, and plans to identify itself with the acronym GREEN (Growing together, reaching educational excellence now). The "GREEN team" said it plans to hand out the ribbons at various school events and display ribbons on mailboxes around the township. The ribbons eventually will display a slogan of support for the referendum, Ms. Layton said.
Superintendent Constance Bauer said previously that she anticipated the elementary school’s enrollment now 350 would nearly double by the end of the decade.
The school board has said it plans to support programs that enrich students’ education, such as maintaining the library and a common lunch period. To do this, the board has agreed that the best means would be having voters approve a referendum and start construction as soon as possible on another elementary school in Chesterfield.
Ms. Layton served on the school board for six years, and has two children who have gone to Chesterfield Elementary School. She said she decided not to run for re-election to the board this year because she was "passionate" about forming a group of concerned citizens and campaigning to get the referendum passed.
Since September 2005, the elementary school’s enrollment has increased by 61 students to 350, and according to school board President Craig Thier, the building was designed to hold only 271 students.
Construction has been completed on some of the 1,100 houses planned for the "receiving area" where development will be concentrated under the township’s Transfer of Development Rights program. Ms. Layton said she is shocked to overhear new residents questioning why they don’t see the new elementary school building that they were promised when they purchased their homes.
She urged residents last week to attend school board meetings to stay abreast of developments relating to the referendum.
"Don’t wait to hear what the design of the school is going to be on paper and then want to add your input," she advised.
Ms. Layton suggested that the group hold meetings in which residents could get together and hash out their ideas and express them in creative, eye-catching ways throughout the community.
"We need to start the process now," she said.
Throughout the meeting, residents were slowly filing up to the front of the room to sign up for committees such as "editorial" and "advertising."
Ms. Layton did emphasize that no matter what, the goal of getting a grass-roots group together was to "bring the ‘yes’ votes in, and not to worry about trying to change the ‘no’ votes to ‘yes’ votes."
One resident did raise the question of whether the Township Committee had chosen where the school would be built.
Ms. Layton said that although she doesn’t know any details yet, there is a "finger on that pulse" and that the community would be informed of any development as soon as possible.
Vince Napoleon, a current school board member, responded that the plans for the school will be on paper by the end of June, so the board can file its plans in time for a December referendum.
Other ideas proposed by residents at last week’s meeting included creating a Web site that is exclusively for referendum postings; holding open home meetings; erecting lawn signs promoting the group’s cause; and getting children involved in the process.
Ms. Layton said she understands that an important issue at hand is how much the average resident’s school tax bill would go up. Since those figures are not yet available, she suggested drafting a frequently-asked-questions sheet that would cover everything from the proposed tax rate to how big the gymnasium would be.
