Aug 13, 2008 By Patty Yauger 4 min read

CONNELLSVILLE – Members of the Better Education for Students and Taxpayers (BEST) Association are cautiously optimistic concerning proposed Connellsville Area School Board action to hire an international consulting firm to determine a long-range plan for the district. Board members are expected to hire MGT of America at tonight’s regular meeting.

BEST member Melissa Tzan said that the district needs an objective look at the facilities and educational system, following the firm’s presentation at Monday’s non-voting work session.

“We need an independent study,” she said. “I like the idea of the public meetings to give our input.”

The organization criticized the board for not considering the public’s views as it began to implement a recommendation from the 2006 feasibility study that called for the closure of three elementary buildings and realignment of grade levels.

Hundreds attended board meetings and said that they did not approve the actions, and when a majority of the board determined to move forward, BEST members filed a civil lawsuit.

Prior to a hearing in the matter, the board agreed to halt the plan.

The consulting firm, headquartered in Florida, recently completed a master facilities plan for the Uniontown Area School District.

If hired, Dr. Edward Humble, senior partner and director of educational facilities planning, told the board that the firm’s representatives would initiate an in-depth look at the buildings to assess their physical condition, educational suitability, technology readiness, capacity and utilization.

The firm will also consider the area’s demographics along with enrollment projections, said Humble.

“We will also look at the needs, wants and desires of the community,” he said. “We will spend a lot of time talking with people.

“The goal is to help you come up with the best plan for the Connellsville school district.”

According to Humble, the 11-step program begins with the establishment of a direct line of contact with MGT for administrators, board members and the public.

The firm’s Web site, he said, would allow those interested in the project to view its progress and be informed as to when presentations will be made by the company.

The second phase would be to develop a facility and site inventory system, said firm representative Susan Zoller.

“We will have someone up on the roof; someone looking at the plumbing and electrical systems,” she said.

The community, too, plays a role in the development of the plan, said Zoller.

Public forums, called charettes, will be held to gather input from parents, taxpayers and educators.

Questions, including the ranking of the education received by students, physical condition of the building, safety, appropriateness of learning spaces and access and traffic patterns, will be asked of the participants.

Zoller said that charette participants would be given an electronic “clicker” to register their answers with the results made known immediately by the attendees.

All the gathered information, said Humble and Zoller, would be analyzed with a variety of options presented to the district for consideration.

MGT, too, would assist with budgetary planning.

Director Kevin Lape questioned the firm’s use of state Department of Education (PDE) population figures, stating he believed them to be inaccurate.

Pointing to the Uniontown plan, Lape said that the PDE figures varied from those determined by MGT and if the firm were to be engaged to conduct the Connellsville study he would be in favor of having the numbers independently determined.

Board President Francis Mongell indicated that he would support the hiring of the firm at tonight’s meeting.

“They are going to analyze everything; it is going to be an independent study,” he said. “At this point no one knows what the findings will be.”

Humble said that the fee for the plan would be $74,800 provided the firm would utilize PDE enrollment figures. A slightly higher cost would be charged if MGT gathered the local population numbers.

He estimated that a report would be submitted to the board by the end of November.

The meeting will be held in the Connellsville high school cafeteria beginning at 7 p.m.

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