The whole scene in Worcester gives us a peek into how folks react when they think decisions that will shake up their way of living are being made for them. If you’re wondering what the fuss is all about, let me break it down for you. Recently, parents in Worcester went to bat to save their small elementary school not once, but twice. Last fall, the Washington Central school board started chatting about possibly shutting down Doty Memorial School and Calais Elementary, but families banded together and shut down that convo real quick.
Now, the plot thickens. School district big shots rolled out a new plan last month to rent out five classrooms at Doty to Turtle Island, a big childcare center in a pickle. While this move would help Turtle Island stay afloat, it also means fifth- and sixth-graders from Worcester would be shipped off to Rumney Memorial School next year. Worcester parents weren’t having it and penned a 10-page letter, signed by nearly 150 peeps, to express their concerns. They even showed up at school board meetings and community forums to air their frustrations. Despite the pushback, the school board gave the thumbs up to the Turtle Island plan on May 7, with some conditions.
The situation in Worcester sheds light on the bigger issue of how these changes are affecting students and the community at large. One thing’s for sure, the fight ain’t over yet. With the state looking to shake up the education system with fewer, larger school districts and less local control, the battle for small-town schools like Doty is just the beginning. Residents in Worcester are feeling blindsided, rushed, and, quite frankly, ignored. The lack of communication and transparency from the school district has left many scratching their heads and wondering what’s next for their kids and their community. Who knows what the future holds for Doty and other small schools in Vermont as the education reform debate rages on.
