Perrymont school's closure considered; Innovation programs could be cut

Lynchburg City Schools Superintendent Paul McKendrick recommended closing Perrymont Elementary School during a discussion of possible budget cut considerations at a school board work session Thursday.

In McKendrick’s idea, Perrymont Elementary students would be divided among some of the smaller schools in the city, likely as part of a redistricting plan also under consideration by the superintendent. The building would remain open and house pre-K students from the Hutcherson Early Learning Center and from at least some of the other elementary schools.

McKendrick said the school’s academic performance and suitability for the Hutcherson students were among the considerations.

The building that now houses the Hutcherson learning center would close. McKendrick said that the building has physical problems that make it less cost-effective to maintain.

In addition, McKendrick also suggested cutting the “Schools for Innovation” programs at Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle School and T.C. Miller and Dearington Elementary schools.

Dunbar emphasizes performing arts and foreign languages. In addition, the school uses a salt water touch tank, reptile center and laser lab as part of its science curriculum.

T.C. Miller is a designated STEM school, emphasizing the areas of science, technology, engineering and math. Dearington emphasizes Spanish, economics and science.

Those schools would remain open, but without the additional programs. Students who currently attend Dunbar, Miller and Dearington would be allowed to stay, regardless of what part of the city they are from.

The recommendations came during a presentation from McKendrick regarding what he termed “bold moves” or major changes in the school division designed to address the scale of the budget problems at hand.

The school division faces a projected budget deficit of up to $17.8 million, including figures based on proposals from Gov. Bob McDonnell. That deficit could be smaller based on budget plans currently in the Virginia House of Delegates and Senate. At the meeting, , Chief Financial Officer Beverley Padgett made a quick estimate that the division would need to cut $15.4 million if the House version became official and $12.8 million with the Senate version.

Moves under consideration include adding retirement incentives, consolidating services with other divisions and moving some programs currently at both high schools to one or the other. McKendrick also mentioned the possibility of changing to a school calendar with fewer, longer days in order to save on costs. He said the school division could close for three weeks for Christmas break, which would help save on heating bills in January, when he said heating costs are usually highest.

McKendrick did not provide specific price tags for those items. McKendrick did privately show school board members a working document with $5.4 million in identified cuts, but declined to release the document, citing information that related the specific identifiable positions that would reveal who might lose a job.

For now McKendrick’s recommendations are preliminary. McKendrick said he will continue further budget discussions with the board on March 2, but will not present his formal budget proposals until the meeting on March 15.

“It makes sense for us to be deliberate and not just cut, cut, cut,” said McKendrick, “because we could cut our own throats.”