Recommended School Mergers
RecommendedSchool Mergers
STAFF - Questions & Answers
Q. Why merge my school?
A. To most effectively use buildings and limited school funds, the Board of Education Commissioners requested an in-depth study in June 2004 to identify any potential schools as best cases for possible mergers. Superintendent Carol R. Johnson formed a research team to carefully review all schools below 50 percent capacity and less than 300 students as possible merger schools. The research team evaluated these schools based on six key factors: Building utilization, optimal size for schools, neighborhood growth or decline, proximity to a neighboring school, educational profile, and history of school building. Based on these factors, recommendations were made to select 12 schools for mergers.
Q. What schools are included in the merger recommendations?
A. Twelve (12) schools are being recommended as merger candidates to the Board of Education. The proposed mergers are: Dunn Elementary to Norris Elementary, creating a combined student enrollment of 420; Lauderdale Elementary to LaRose Elementary, creating a combined enrollment of 509; Locke Elementary to Georgia Avenue Elementary, creating a combined enrollment of 712; Orleans Elementary to Lincoln Elementary, creating a combined enrollment of 608; Walker Elementary to Ford Road Elementary, creating a combined enrollment of 872; and Stafford Elementary to Cummings Elementary, creating a combined enrollment of 688.
Q. What teachers/staff changes would take place at the merged schools?
A. Teachers will follow their students to the newly merged school to accommodate the increased number of students at the new location. The Human Resources Department of Memphis City Schools will make every effort to reassign any surplus employees holding duplicated positions after the mergers as vacancies occur throughout the district.
Q. How soon will we know about decisions regarding staff changes?
A. Human Resources will work with all staff at both schools to secure placement by the end of the 2004-05 school year.
Q. Who can I contact for more information on my employment status?
A. A district team led by HR personnel will meet with staff at both schools within the next few weeks to share more information and to address questions and concerns.
Q. What would happen to the principals?
A. Of course, two principals will not be needed at one newly merged school. The district’s Academic Leadership Team will soon select the best available candidate to serve as principal at the expanded school from among the merged schools and others district-wide. In addition, most expanded schools will now require an assistant principal.
Q. What is the process /timeline to consider and decide school mergers?
A. The process began with the Board’s request in June 2004 to complete a merger study and Superintendent Carol R. Johnson to make recommendations by Spring 2005. The proposal was presented to the Board on Tuesday, Jan. 18. Over the next month, Board Commissioners will listen to feedback from staff, parents and community members on the proposed mergers through a series of informational meetings. The Commissioners will review the findings and could vote the recommended mergers as early as Feb. 28. If approved, the mergers would be effective for the 2005-06 school year.
Q. How much money would be saved by the mergers, and how would it affect the 2005-06 budget?
A. If the recommendations are approved, Memphis City Schools can save a significant $6.5 million in just the 2005-06 school year and a total of $55.5 million over the next five years. The four main areas to save money by merging the proposed schools are: avoidance of future renovation costs, staff personnel duplication, routine and deferred maintenance, and utilities.
Q. Will the newly merged school be better than the old school? What are the other benefits besides the district saving money?
A. By merging the two schools, we are combining the best of both schools for students and parents. The best academic programs, curriculum and extracurricular programs from each school, teachers and best leadership available will be available at the newly merged school. For example, students will have greater access to programs like foreign language, art and music, and library and lab facilities. Also, the physical condition of the expanded schools is better than the merged school which ceases operations.
Q. Are there future plans for more mergers?
A. These proposed recommendations are just the first to be considered as part of a five-year strategic operations plan for the district now in development. Over the next five years, Memphis City Schools will conduct more comprehensive studies of its schools and possibly make more recommendations, beginning for the 2006-07 school year.
RecommendedSchool Mergers
Teacher - Questions & Answers
Q. Will merged schools have “Fresh Start” status?
A. No. The normal transfer and reassignment process will be followed.
Q. Will teachers from the school ending operations automatically move to the new location?
A. If all students in either the school ending operations or one grade move to the merged school, the teachers in the “closing” schools or grade will follow the students to the school.
If the merger results in more teachers than available positions, the normal surplusing process in Article XIV, Section C of the MEA agreement will be followed.
If either the students at the school or students in a grade level are transferred to more than one merged school or other locations, the teachers from the closing school will be surplused.
Q. How will my assignment be determined at my new location?
A. The receiving principal will assess the needs of the building and will make the determination on where teachers will be assigned.
Q. When two schools merge, what options will teachers have if they do not want to go to the new school?
A. Teachers will have the option of participating in the voluntary transfer process if they want to be considered for a position at a location other than the consolidated school.
Teachers who are surplused as a result of a merger are strongly encouraged to participate in the voluntary transfer process.
If surplused teachers are unable to secure a position through the voluntary transfer process, they will participate and secure a position through a surplus teacher placement process facilitated by the Department of Human Resources.
Q. As a surplused teacher, will I have access to vacancies before they are posted through the voluntary transfer process?
A. No. Surplused teachers have the option to secure a position through the voluntary transfer process.
Q. What happens if there is a reduction based on enrollment for the 2005-06 school year?
A. If there is a reduction in positions based on student enrollment projections at the merged school, the normal staff reduction process will be followed.
Q. If I am surplused and accept a new position, when will I have an opportunity to transfer through the voluntary transfer process?
A. If you are surplused, accepting a new assignment will not be considered a voluntary transfer.
RecommendedSchool Mergers
Cafeteria & Custodial Staff - Questions & Answers
Q. Will Cafeteria and Custodial staff from the school ending operations automatically move to the new location?
A. No. Cafeteria and Custodial staff from the school ending operations will be surplused.
Q. When the two schools merge, what options will cafeteria and custodial staff have if they want to go to the merged school?
A. Cafeteria and custodial staff will be reassigned to vacant positions or given the opportunity to select positions based on seniority. Staff will also have the option of applying for vacant positions in the district for which they are qualified.
Q. If a cafeteria or custodial employee at the school ending operations has more seniority than the staff at the merged school, will the senior employee assume the position at the merged school?
A. No. Staff at the school ending operations will be surplused.
Q. As a surplused employee, do I have an automatic right to access positions with additional hours, number of months, or at a higher salary grade?
A. No. Surplused employees are only entitled to comparable positions (hours, number of months, salary grade, etc.). However, surplused employees may apply for positions with increased hours, number of months and a higher salary grade. Final selections will be made based on experience and qualifications.
Q. When will I have an opportunity to bid on positions like mine that are vacant and/or be considered for other positions?
A. Positions will not be posted for bid (based on availability) until surplused employees have been reassigned to vacant positions. Surplused employees may apply for other positions in the district for which they are qualified.
Q. What happens to my salary if I apply for and secure a position at a higher salary grade?
A. Your salary will be adjusted to the higher salary grade based on the district’s promotion guidelines.
Q. What happens to my salary if I apply for and secure a position at a lower salary grade?
A. Your salary will be adjusted to the salary closest to your current salary on the new salary schedule.
Q. What happens if there are not enough positions available for all of the surplused employees to be placed?
A. The District will make a decision regarding the need for layoffs. If layoffs do occur, the final decisions will be based on district needs, qualifications and seniority of employment.
RecommendedSchool Mergers
Non Union Classified Employees - Questions & Answers
Q. Will school secretaries, general office secretaries, cafeteria managers, supervising building engineers, paraprofessionals (educational assistants, special education assistants, family specialists, instructional computer technicians), and other hourly employees (lunchroom monitors, clerical assistants) from the school ending operations automatically move to the new location?
A. No. However, new principals assigned to the merged schools will be given the opportunity to interview the school secretary, cafeteria manager and the supervising building engineer to determine if the employee will remain at the location. Individuals not selected by the principal will be surplused. All other non-union employees assigned to the school ending operations will be surplused.
Q. When two schools merge, what options will non-union employees have if they want to go to the new school?
A. Non-union employees will be reassigned to vacant positions or given the opportunity to select positions based on qualifications and district-wide seniority. Non-union employees will also have the option of applying for vacant positions in the district for which they are qualified.
Q. If a non-union employee at the school ending operations has more seniority than an employee at the merged school, will the senior employee assume the position at the merged school?
A. No. Staff at the school ending operations will be surplused.
Q. As a surplused employee, do I have an automatic right to access positions with additional hours, number of months, or at a higher salary grade?
A. No. Surplused employees are only entitled to comparable positions (hours, number of months, salary grade, etc).However, surplused employees may apply for positions with increased hours, number of months and a higher salary grade. Final selections will be made based on experience and qualifications.
Q. When will I have an opportunity to bid on positions like mine that are vacant and/or be considered for other positions?
A. You will have an opportunity to apply for positions (based on availability) in the month of June.
Q. What happens to my salary if I apply for and secure a position at a higher salary grade?
A. Your salary will be adjusted to the higher salary grade based on the promotion guidelines.
Q. What happens to my salary if I apply for and secure a position at a lower salary grade?
A. Your salary will be adjusted to the level closest to your current level on the new