To the Editor:
Tuesday, Dec. 7 at 6 p.m. will be the final Community-at-Large virtual public meeting.
The Best Educational Use of Facilities Committee has been actively seeking participatory input from all members of our community to discuss school consolidation via focus group meetings held during the past few months. Meetings have been well run, respectful, extremely engaging, and highly productive as we comprehensively discussed the many complexities involved in the decision-making process.
As the author of the 2014 citizens’ petition seeking to conduct an independent assessment of the Hull Public Schools, which passed by a 2-1 vote at the ballot box, I am happy that we have finally arrived at this point in time. I encourage everyone to read the 2020 MARS Report available on the town website Best Educational Use of School Facilities | Hull Public Schools, making careful note of the report’s findings:
- “Student enrollment numbers (NESDEC, MSBA, and MARS reports) have been in steep decline (30.7%) for the past 10-12 years.”
- “Student enrollment numbers (NESDEC, MSBA, and MARS) for the next 10 years are projected to continue in decline (14% to 21.8% range).”
- “Near-future increase in student population appears not to be on the horizon.”
- “Projections for the next decade indicate an enrollment decline that does not justify operating three [separate] [school] facilities.”
The upcoming Dec. 7 meeting is the final time to publicly make your valued voice heard before the School Committee votes to pursue one of the four options outlined in the MARS Report. Please plan to attend the meeting, and remember to check the town website where the link to participate will be posted a few days beforehand.
Polly Rowe
