By Megan Decker
Staff Writer
VASSAR — The board of education of Millington Community School District and Vassar Public Schools held a joint meeting on Tuesday in the Vassar High School auditorium to discuss a shared services plan between the two districts for the 2014-15 school year.
The proposed plan includes the possible sharing of a high school principal, counseling services, technology services and a transfer of payroll services to the Tuscola Intermediate School District. The districts are currently sharing services of a superintendent and title specialist and would continue to do so next year under the proposed plan.
The Millington board of education voted on the plan during its Feb. 26 board meeting while the Vassar board of education will discuss and possibly vote on the issue during its Monday meeting.
“What people need to understand is that this is not a consolidation of districts,” said joint superintendent Thomas Palmer. “Vassar is not going to become Millington and Millington is not going to become Vassar.
“In order for a district consolidation to occur it would need a vote of the people and that is not happening.”
The idea to share services between the two districts occurred late last year. Each district is faced with cutting approximately $600,000 from its budget next year. The shared services plan will save approximately $300,000 for each district.
“This idea to share services began when we began to think of ways outside of the box in order to save and maintain our programs while meeting our financial challenges,” Palmer said. “Under this plan, we will still maintain our own identities, but work to protect the kids and education of the future.”
Several of the trustees of each board addressed their concerns about the shared services plan, but most seemed like it was the most favorable option at this time.
“This is strictly a cost savings measure and the whole package will benefit both districts,” explained Millington board member Dale Collins.
“This is a very unique deal. Not many districts have done this. We could be a leader of a whole new way of running school districts,” added Vassar board member Kirk Vanwormer.
If Vassar agrees to this plan on Monday, the districts have built in benchmarks to monitor the success of the shared services.
“We have a series of benchmarks built into this plan in order to monitor and evaluate this process,” said former Millington superintendent and now consultant John Males. “We feel we have sufficient check-points. This will be somewhat trial-and-error, but given our current situation we feel this is the best case scenario.”
Following the boards’ discussion, a handful of audience members spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting. Some Millington residents questioned their board’s decision on the matter and asked if members had looked at all possible options before voting on the shared services plan.
“This many not be the best case scenario, or the typical way of doing things, but if the schools’ trust each other and work together we can get this done. We have one goal and that is to do the right thing for the kids. I believe this plan will be something new and refreshing, “said Millington board member Dean Hennessy. “We have the same hopes for the future of our districts.”
The Vassar School Board will hold its regular scheduled meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Monday in the high school media center.