To the editor:
In its May 2019 Town Meeting, Alford residents voted against the proposed school budget out of concern that, in the prior five years, enrollment fell by 125 students while the budget climbed by $1.25 million.
We asked Southern Berkshire Regional School District representatives: What was the plan for the future? They provided no concrete answers.
A wise person once said, “A goal without a plan is just a wish.”
Our eight towns now have before us a comprehensive, well-debated plan for:
- A merged district with a new high school building;
- Opportunity for wider academic offerings, including CVTE (Career, Vocational, and Technical Education); and
- Potential cost savings
The Eight Town Regional School District Planning Board recommendation is a plan that could turn our goal into reality.
Thus my questions for those who oppose the merger are:
- Where and what specifically is your plan?
- How does it address declining enrollment/rising cost concerns?
- What potential savings can it generate? For a goal without a plan is just a wish.
Joan Rogers
Alford
These views are my own and not those of the Alford Finance Committee, which I chair.
