×

DUNKIRK: District moves rapidly on plans

With the world working its way back to normalcy, it is significant to see how quickly the Dunkirk City Schools are moving forward with a major building shift. According to Superintendent Michael Mansfield, the plan is to reduce the elementary school buildings from four to three and move grades three to six to the current middle school. Grades seven to 12 would be housed at the high school.

“Bringing staff together is something that’s very exciting to me because when you put staff together and minds together, to work together great things happen,” Mansfield said during last week’s meeting.

There are two major reasons for this shift. First, and most obviously, it is about a learning environment. Dealing with some 2,000 students is not easy — and this plan frees up space in the early learning years.

Second, Dunkirk faces significant fiscal issues in the coming years. Despite cash coming from the COVID-19 relief package, there are major worries in the future.

Dunkirk’s largest taxpayer a decade ago was NRG Energy Inc. It was contributing more than $4 million to the district then. Today, that amount has dwindled to less than $200,000.

It takes about $48 million to run the second-largest district in Chautauqua County. That amount will continue to increase and a major shortfall looms.

This plan addresses some of those future expenses.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

COMMENTS

[vivafbcomment]

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today