Voters in Bernardston, Gill, Montague, Leyden, Northfield and Warwick took to the polls on Tuesday afternoon to weigh in on “super-regionalization” across the six towns.
Residents were asked to consider whether to authorize a five-town or six-town regional agreement to create the Great River Regional School District, merging the Pioneer Valley Regional School District and the Gill-Montague Regional School District, and potentially Warwick Community School if the six-town agreement passes.
The proposed “super-regional” district would see high school students educated at Turners Falls High School and Great Falls Middle School. Middle schoolers would occupy Pioneer Valley Regional School in Northfield and elementary schoolers would remain in their current buildings. The regionalization plan calls for no reduction in educators, but consolidation of the central office. While the idea is being referred to as “super-regionalization” for its effect of potentially blending two regional school districts and the independent Warwick Community School for the first time, the estimated enrollment for the new district across all grade levels would be just under 1,400 students.
If either of the regional agreements are approved, an 18-month transition period would begin, with the new district going into effect in 2028. Additionally, a 13-member school committee would form with five representatives from Montague; two from Bernardston, Gill and Northfield; and one from Leyden and Warwick, if the six-town agreement passes.
Turners Falls resident and retired teacher Gary Mullins voted against the proposed regionalization, saying that having more schools ensures more teachers are employed.
As a longtime coach of the basketball and softball teams at Turner Falls High School, Mullins imagined a regional school without the trophies that former Turners Falls students worked hard to earn. He described the high school losing its identity through regionalization.
“Regionalization will take away from the Turner Falls High School and [Great Falls] Middle School,” James Mussoni of Montague agreed, “which is already in trouble with low enrollment.”
“There’s just too many hoops to jump through,” Mariah Jackman said after voting in Montague against regionalization.
She predicts that regionalization would lead to long bus routes for students who live on the outskirts of a merged district.
For Rudy and Jo-Ann Demers, who voted at Franklin County Technical School on Tuesday, “it’s time” for regionalization due to declining enrollment in the Gill-Montague Regional School District. The couple recalled their son sitting in a classroom at Turner Falls High School his senior year with only two other classmates.
“Something’s got to be done,” Jo-Ann Demers said. “[Regionalization’s] good for the kids.”
Kathy Chevalier, who also cast her vote at Franklin Tech, voted in favor of regionalization, mentioning that her grandchildren attend Gill-Montague.
“That seemed to be a no-brainer,” she said.
Northfield resident Megan Beaulieu, who has a son in the school system, voted against regionalization.
“I don’t think there’s going to be enough teachers to [accommodate] all the students, and the buses — there’s going to be just too [many] late buses,” she said.
That anti-regionalization sentiment was echoed by voters in Warwick.
“I do not want that,” said Leanne Limoges, who has lived in town for 33 years. “We work really hard to keep it separate, and we have a great thing going in Warwick.”
Jill DeLisle, who chairs the Warwick Finance Committee, also said that regionalization is not the best fit for the town.
“It was not the right time,” she said. “I studied extensively.”
Kady Ivinwood also opted against regionalization, as she is afraid Warwick would lose its voice.
“I don’t know that it’s the time to have our elementary school be part of that,” Ivinwood said. “But I do think that it makes sense for high school students.”
