Regionalization...Its Time Has Come.

OK. I am finally there! For months I have been part of the development of the emerging regionalization plan, all the while hedging my bet, knowing that ultimately it is the right thing to do for our students. I have had a difficult time reconciling the future reality with the perceived potential loss of the wonderful small school culture we have here at Chatham High School. However, the more I rationally analyzed the issue, the more I have come to the conclusion that regionalization is the way to go. The increased educational opportunities for our students that will accrue from a merger of two very good schools are amazing and, as for the positive school culture, that most certainly can and will be developed in a new state of the art facility and nurtured by a reinvigorated, combined faculty and staff. I am convinced that regionalization will not only be beneficial but, more importantly, is absolutely essential to our educational survival and that is why I am able to comfortably state that I am totally in favor of the effort to create a new regional school district by merging with Harwich.

I have spent the past year working with my counterpart, Harwich High School Principal Kevin Turner, on the development of a regional educational plan. We spent a great deal of time examining what a merger would do for our students and determined that it would be a definite win-win situation for all of our students with new opportunities opening up by bringing the best of both schools to the new regional entity. For Harwich students, there would be opportunities like We The People, the Community Internship program, Forensics, and Marine Science; for our students, Anatomy and Physiology, Engineering, and a thriving Community Service program. For all there would be a significant expansion of the Advanced Placement program and enhanced opportunities for interscholastic sports. All of which would take place in a new state of the art facility.

I have attended the presentations by the regionalization board, looked at all of the numbers, including the proposed savings to our town, and have seen the handwriting on the wall. We need to act now because we are rapidly approaching a point where we will be in danger of losing our sustainability. I think it is clear to most who have been following the process that Harwich has a very obvious and immediate need to upgrade its facilities. No one can argue that. For Chatham, the problem is far less clear or immediate, but the problem is very real. Within a short time, possibly in only a few years, faced with a predicted decline in enrollment, continued budget woes causing an elimination of programs, a resulting diminution of school choice applicants and increased out migration of students seeking greater educational opportunities elsewhere, our school system could quickly reach that tipping point between sustainability and decline. My fear is that when that point is reached the demise of the school system could follow rapidly down a very steep and slippery slope. I just returned from an NEASC school evaluation visit to a school in the western part of the state which is perhaps 20 students larger than CHS. The principal and I had a rather grim discussion one day about the constant struggle we both face trying to keep our enrollment and educational and co-curricular programs viable in order to avoid that tipping point and the inevitable consequences that would ensue. We agreed that that one issue is what gives both of us nightmares. Clearly regionalization would end that threat and give those of us who work in this system and who are so dedicated to our students an opportunity to truly be part of the solution; to have a hand in crafting a new and exciting educational environment for our students that, ultimately, would be second to none on Cape Cod and beyond. The sad alternative would be to pass up this opportunity and then five or six years hence, be forced to be absorbed by a neighboring school district or worse, tuition our students out to another district. Both are costly, educationally unsound, and unacceptable alternatives I believe.

I think that the regionalization board deserves a great deal of praise for all of their diligence and hard work. As a veteran of two previous regionalization attempts between these two towns, I can state unequivocally that this board has done it right this time. They have been both inclusive in their approach and dogged in their pursuit of information and have come to the only reasonable conclusion possible. It is now time to do the right thing by our kids and merge our two school systems to ensure a sound educational future for all students.

I hope that citizens of both towns will look long and hard at all of the data and come to the same conclusion.