By HEATHER CLARK
Special to The Gazette
A new grade structure for schools in the Stevens Point Area Catholic Schools system won't take away academic opportunities for students, officials say.
"One of the reasons we decided what we did is we wanted to be proactive," said Administrator Gregg Hansel. "Historically, we've be reactive… There are other programs - we're working on things that will really enhance education."
He declined to elaborate.
It's been a journey filled with some disagreements and struggles. But after a two-year examination, SPACS officials have decided to restructure grade levels. The plan would eliminate a busing district, balance class sizes and provide more room to accommodate families and students in the future, they say.
The changes would be implemented for the 2000-2001 school year.
"About three years ago, a number of concerns came up about where the Catholic Schools were going," Hansel said. "We had to turn away children, class sizes were unbalanced, in some cases, we were quadrupling resources.
"Our goal is to be the best school system we can be and we feel this is the best way to get us closest to that," he said during a public forum held by the Planning Committee Friday. A forum also was held Monday and Tuesday nights.
The largest effect will be to the three elementary schools in Stevens Point. Under the proposal, St. Joseph School, which currently holds kindergarten through second grade, would become the system's early childhood center housing day-care and preschool.
St. Stanislaus School would lose third- through fifth-graders and have a kindergarten through second-grade population.
St. Stephen School will change from holding third- through fifth-graders and the early childhood center to serving third- through fifth-grade students.
St. Peter Middle School, which holds sixth- through eighth-grade students, and Pacelli High School, which houses ninth through 12th graders, would remain the same.
St. Bronislava School, the fourth elementary building, would still serve kindergarten through fifth graders.
Remodeling costs are estimated at less than $10,000.
Parishes will have about six weeks to discuss the idea and voice concerns to SPACS. The SPACS Commission expects to vote on the recommendation at its Nov. 8 meeting at the latest to accommodate registration for the next school year shortly thereafter.
The remainder of the school year will be spent with focus groups consisting of parents, administrators, staff, pastors, parishioners and religious education representatives studying the best way to implement the new structure as it relates to resources, teaching, busing and other education-related issues.
During the planning process, nine options emerged. They were evaluated and compared. Based on resulting scores, one came out on top and three others fell close behind. Those four were investigated further and this reconfiguring proposal was chosen.
While there is still room for discussion, the Planning Committee is 100 percent behind this alternative, said the Rev. Al Burkhardt, chairman.
"We are convinced of this, there is not another choice," he said.
"If we wanted to do something radical, the best choice would be to build a new building," he added. "Given the buildings we have, what's inside, this is the best option - it is the only option in our opinion. If we want to move forward with SPACS, this is what we need to do. If this is not acceptable, we're in a dilemma…."
Of 15 areas examined, committee members believe the largest issues to overcome in accepting the plan are altered busing routes/attendance boundaries and class sizes. Judging from comments from a handful of the roughly 50 people who attended one of three forums, they were right.
New busing and attendance boundaries have not yet been established; the committee wants the plan approved before going though that. By law, the Stevens Point Area Public School District must bus the parochial students, so officials there would work with SPACS officials in creating new boundaries. Decisions would be made by April.
The plan would drop the busing district from three to two, however. Hansel said he did not know how many students/families are expected to be affected by the change.
Based on current class enrollments, officials expect class sizes to balance to between 20 and 25 students per class.
How to maintain current religious education programs was also a concern of audience members. Burkhardt said SPACS representatives and people from those programs would work together to come up with solutions to anticipated problems, like space.
The reorganization would bring about a much needed identity of being part of a whole system.
"We have to look at it as one large system with many components sprinkled around the community," said committee member Daryl Kurtenbach. It also would foster communication and hopefully bring about greater parish support, he said.
"This is a time for opportunities to teach all children about the gospel of Jesus Christ in the best way," said Laura Barnett, principle of St. Bronislava and St. Stephen schools. "It's an opportunity for all of us to work together to make the best use of our facilities."