Lincoln, return to neighborhood elementary schools

Patricia A. Russell's front page Valley Breeze article, "Lincoln to consider closing a school," was of great interest to me. Lincoln's Superintendent of Schools, Georgia Fortunato, is recommending the possibility of closing Fairlawn Early Learning Center and consolidating the 269 students presently in pre-K, kindergarten and grade one into the remaining five town elementary schools. Declining enrollment at Lonsdale Elementary School and studies being done on the possibility of bringing a full-day kindergarten program to the district prompted the superintendents's decision. Fortunato stressed that closing Fairlawn and consolidation is fiscally prudent and could lead to cost savings that may allow the creation of a full-day kindergarten. School Committee Chairwoman, Elizabeth Black Robson, said the school committee will have to take a close look at consolidation, especially if it will enable Lincoln to bring a full-day kindergarten to the district. She added, community input will be the deciding factor.

From the tone of this article, I believe that Fortunato and Black Robson are seriously considering closing the early learning centers at Fairlawn and Northern Lincoln. This will allow Lincoln to go back the neighborhood elementary school system that worked so well in Lincoln for decades. Closing these centers will solve Lonsdale Elementary School's low enrollment problem and may provide the necessary funds to have full day pre-K and Kindergarten programs in the Town of Lincoln. Having both programs will be of enormous benefit to Lincoln's young children.

The savings in tax dollars by closing these centers will be huge. Over $600,000 will be saved by not having to pay the salaries, benefits and FICA contributions of the school administrators and their support staffs. There will be a significant savings in busing costs. Parents will provide transportation for many young students and many students, who live close by, will walk to their new neighborhood elementary school. In addition, the cost for heating and snow removal will be reduced. And lastly, The Fairlawn Early Learning Center would be perfect for Mayor McKee's Democracy Prep Blackstone Valley Charter School (DPBV). Fairlawn is a relatively new facility and well suited for the young children now attending this new charter school. This facility could easily be expanded to fit the future needs of this new charter school and is centrally located near the communities that this new charter school will serve. Lincoln could rent this school to DPBV, with an option to buy, which could guarantee the funds necessary to carry out Lincoln's plans to expand early childhood programs at each neighborhood elementary school.

All the residents of Lincoln should call their elected officials and urge them to close these early learning centers and return to the neighborhood elementary school system that worked so well in the past. Having a full-day pre-K and Kindergarten programs will enable teachers to identify children with special needs. Early identification will give teachers the time to set up workable strategies to remediate any learning problems. All young children have the ability to learn, they just have to given the opportunity to learn on a day-to-day basis. Closing the early learning centers and consolidating activities at each neighborhood elementary school could provide Lincoln's young children with the opportunity to learn on a full day-to-day basis.

Kenneth Berwick

Smithfield