Consultant recommends one-site option for WEM

WEM School Board members and concerned citizens met in the WEM auditorium on May 8 to hear the results of a study that could decide the fate of WEM Middle School in Morristown.

Citing the need for a neutral party, the WEM School Board commissioned an independent study, which would give a third-party opinion on how best to proceed with keeping the school district financially sound.

The option the board is considering would move middle school students from the building in Morristown to the Waterville school complex. This option is called the one-site plan. The Waterville site already houses the high school and elementary school.

Dr. Roger B. Worner of Roger Worner Associates, Inc., was hired to perform the organizational analysis study. He delivered his findings to the board and a group of around 20 community members. Twice as many community members were in attendance at the first meeting to discuss the issue on Dec. 10, 2024.

“Enrollment decline begets financial decline,” Worner explained as he framed the study. “Financial decline begets staffing decline. The decline of staffing precipitates the decline of programs and services. The loss of programs and services begets the loss of quality. The loss of quality begets declining enrollment. It always happens that way in every school district.”

The study showed that there are 776 students enrolled in WEM schools this year. Enrollment in the last decade declined in the school district by 61 students. Worner projects that another 158 students will be lost by the 2029-30 school year, a drop of about 20% from current enrollment. Worner notes that the school district is financially managed very well. The report, however, does note that expenditures for operations and maintenance are “excessive and cost/ineffectively high, presumably a function of the usage of excess facilities than would otherwise be justified by the organization’s student enrollment.”

Districtwide, class sizes were considered highly favorable and provides plenty of access to educational opportunities. For recommendations, Worner first suggested a comprehensive study be done for resident student out-migration to determine if there is a way to slow the amount of students leaving the school system.

The second recommendation was to continue with...

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