RUMFORD – Superintendent Jim Hodgkin told the SAD 43 board Monday night that the fate of Virginia Elementary School should be decided this school year.

“The worst we could do is not decide the issue, to allow the issue to fester,” he said.

In the works is a tentative plan to create two kindergarten-through-grade-5 elementary schools, in place of the current three schools. This doesn’t mean that Virginia school will close, however.

Also under consideration with a possible restructuring of the approximately 600 pupils in kindergarten through grade 5 is placing the district’s new day-treatment program and alternative education program in Virginia school, if a plan is worked out to move the 110 Virginial school students to Rumford or Meroby elementary school.

None of this is certain yet.

The board and administration want elementary and secondary parents, as well as others from the community, to attend a special meeting to discuss the reasons for possibly restructuring district schools on Nov. 16.

Hodgkin said student population has declined during the past 10 years by nearly 250 students, most from the elementary grades. And that trend seems to be continuing.

Both Rumford and Meroby elementary schools were built to house more than 400 students. Each now has about 250. Another 110 attend classes at Virginia school.

The board took no action Monday night, but the consensus was to maintain kindergarten-to-fifth-grade schools, rather than breaking the schools into kindergarten through second grade, and third, fourth and fifth grades.

Official action is expected at the Nov. 2 meeting.

Hodgkin said the district has about $250,000 to make any modifications necessary if all elementary students attend either Rumford or Meroby elementary schools.

He also estimated a savings of between $80,000 and $130,000 if Virginia school was changed from an elementary school to a school for special programs. But cost savings isn’t the major reason for considering the restructuring. It’s whether the district should continue to operate three elementary schools in light of the declining student enrollment, he said.

The impact of the local parochial school, if in the future those students should attend SAD 43 schools, also would not affect the amount of space available for kindergarten-through-grade-5 students.

Hodgkin said the ending of any school is difficult for everyone.

“There are down sides. There is a lot to be said for the intimacy of a small school. That will be a loss, but we have to weigh it with the loss of population and the loss of future population. I am aware this is an emotional issue,” he said.

The Nov. 16 forum is set for 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in Room 302 of Mountain Valley High School.