A proposed agreement between the Haines Borough School District and Chilkat Valley Preschool to site the preschool program at the Haines School appears dead on arrival.
The school board will vote on the matter at its meeting 7 p.m. Monday in the school library.
At a board workshop Wednesday, superintendent Rich Carlson said proposed use of school space by the preschool raised dozens of issues and would be “extremely demoralizing” to staff, impacting their trust and feelings of ownership of the district’s education program.
Carlson also estimated that moving the preschool into the district office would cost the district $8,000 in one-time moving costs and up to $16,000 per year, a figure that includes a loss of $12,000 in federal reimbursement for computer and phone costs.
Under a proposed memorandum of understanding the school board voted to pursue last May, the preschool’s use of the building would not cost the district money.
“It can be accomplished, but not under the terms of the current MOU or without significant financial impact on the school district or without disrupting the current education program or displacing students and staff,” Carlson said.
Carlson’s testimony demoralized preschool supporters at the meeting and appeared to erode board support for the arrangement that originated with former superintendent Ginger Jewell.
Member Sara Chapell, among the strongest supporters of the idea, cited a “high level of intractability” coming from staff. She said staff members had drawn a line in the sand. “If the staff is going to be this adamant about something, I don’t see how it’s going to work.”
Member Brian Clay, who previously spoke in favor of the idea, said: “It’s a great concept. Is the concept concrete enough to make it happen? At this time, no. The benefits are there but we don’t have the space as far as I’m concerned.”
Said member Tiffany DeWitt: “The thing that makes me is the teachers and administration not wanting it. I think we could work it out. All those kids, where are they going to go? How are they going to make it to kindergarten?”
After the meeting, preschool board member Kat Cheney said she was disappointed by the the board’s brief discussion, which didn’t include other options. Former preschool administrator Renee Hoffman said she considered the proposal dead, but said if the district had not opposed siting a preschool trailer on the school grounds two years ago, the issue may already have been resolved.
Principal Cheryl Stickler said she thought the root of the staff’s position was that it was “blindsided” by the board’s decision last May, which came without consulting staff.
Asked if she thought the result would have been different had staff been consulted at that time, Stickler said: “We might have ended up in the same place, but it would have been a joint decision, with unity. It would have been something done with us, instead of something done to us.”