A team from the Western New York Educational Service Council (WNYESC), the consultants hired to prepare a feasibility study for the centralization of the Brocton and Westfield school districts, has begun its work with focus groups in both communities.
A number of focus groups from Brocton will meet on Thursday, Nov. 8 at the high school. A meeting for parents will be held at 7 p.m. in the Brocton High School auditorium. Brocton superintendent, John Hertlein is encouraging participation at this meeting.
On the website, Hertlein explains the consultant team will review current data about school enrollments, community demographics and similarities and the current financial condition of the two districts.
His message continues, "Participants will then be asked to respond to a series of predesigned questions. Your answers will be recorded and summarized for use with the Joint Community Advisory Team and later become a part of the final consolidation study team's reports to the communities, Department of Education and the local school boards of both the Westfield and Brocton School Districts."
Beside parents, boosters will also meet. Their meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Students, secondary faculty and support staff and elementary faculty and support staff are also scheduled to meet earlier in the day.
On the same day, a focus group for Westfield senior citizens is scheduled. It will be held at the Westfield YWCA at 12:30 p.m.
Focus groups were held in Westfield last Thursday for students, secondary faculty and support staff, elementary faculty and support staff, parents, of athletes and parents. According to Marilyn Kurzawa, one of the consultants, Westfield Superintendent David Davison used the web, the robo call system, notices to teachers, staff, parents and the outdoor sign in front of the school to inform people about the meetings.
Other meetings are tentatively scheduled. The meeting for the Brocton community leaders, including service organizations and business and government leaders, is currently scheduled for Nov. 14 at 6 p.m. A meeting for the community will be held at 7 p.m. the same day.
The meeting for Westfield community leaders is scheduled for Nov. 19 at 6 p.m. in the large group instructional room at Westfield High School. The community meeting is currently set for the same day at 7 p.m. in the Westfield auditorium.
WNYESC is to advertise the community focus group in three newspapers that serve the area, the Fredonia and Westfield Pennysavers and also inform WDOE. The districts are to post information about all focus groups on their websites.
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