Overview of what is to come in Deerfield/Britton consolidation

Deerfield and Britton-Macon school boards voted to pursue consolidation of school districts at Thursday’s joint meeting, but that is the beginning of a process that will take a full school-year cycle to complete, and that is only if voters approve the merger on Aug. 3 this summer.
A brief rundown of the next steps:
• File a copy of the joint resolution to consolidate with the Lenawee Intermediate School District
• Develop ballot language by May 24, 2010, for the final ballot proposal during the Aug. 3, 2010, election. Should the proposal be turned down, the districts could resubmit the proposal with a change in ballot language for the Nov. 2, 2010, election
Contracts to be negotiated:
• Administrative contracts must be in place by May 10, 2010
• Develop educational assistant contract proposal by May 7, 2010
• Begin negotiation process with educational assistants and have agreement in place by June 28, 2010
• Administrative assistance contracts (business office, secretarial)
• AFSCME/DESPA contracts in place by July 19, 2010
• Support staff based on need (as it is now)
Develop public relations campaign to educate voting public on need to consolidate:
• Publicity/educational committee to include board members from respective districts, administrators, community members, and students
• Spreading the word on impact of consolidation to staff and students
• Community meetings in both districts to explain and receive input from public on Issues yet to be resolved such as: Professional staff assignments, Student schedules, Transportation, Projected budget for 2011-2012 (first full school-year of formal consolidation), Staff questions and concerns

At Thursday night’s joint meeting, respective boards and superintendents made it clear that current district bonded debts would still be the responsibility of the district that originally incurred the millage. Any projects that have been bonded will be paid by the district taxpayers who voted for it.
Likewise, any grants or endowments that are earmarked for students by virtue of residence as in the case of the recent bequest of nearly $1 million to Deerfield students, specifically, will remain in place for designated students only.
Trustees also discussed conducting a practice run of transportation routes this spring to get a jump on changes that will take place next year with the reconfiguration of building use: high school students will go to Britton, middle school students will go to Deerfield, both towns will retain an elementary school (K-5).