South Bend school officials have announced their intention to hire a temporary transition team to oversee a planned consolidation and redistricting effort set to take effect in the fall of 2024. As part of this initiative, Clay High School and Warren Elementary School will be closed, making way for significant building and programming changes within the district.

The transition team will also be responsible for managing large capital projects, including the expansion of the medical magnet program at Washington High School and the potential construction of a new career center serving the county.

During a recent meeting, the school board members approved job descriptions for the newly formed “District Transition Team,” marking a significant milestone in the urban district’s consolidation plan. The board also initiated the process of issuing bonds, a formal step that allows the district to commence projects funded by the 2020 capital referendum. Additionally, the board approved the hiring of a firm to conduct a demographic and boundary study.

However, two board members, Jeannette McCullough and Mark Costello, expressed concerns and voted against all three measures. McCullough questioned Kareemah Fowler, the district’s assistant superintendent of business and finance, about potential candidates for the transition team positions.

Fowler stated that she had no one in mind, leading McCullough to express skepticism. The board members also questioned the district’s decision to hire consultants for the boundary study, with Costello seeking information that would align the expenditures with the taxpayers’ approved property tax hikes.

The moves faced criticism from community members during the lengthy meeting, which lasted over 3.5 hours. Concerns raised included the district’s financial health, leadership, and transparency regarding the use of referendum funds. Many questioned the decision to close buildings while simultaneously pursuing new facilities for a career center.

Oletha Jones, representing the South Bend branch of the NAACP, questioned the issuance of bonds and the hiring of a transition team without approval of the consolidation plan from the U.S. Department of Justice. The district has been operating under a consent decree since 1980.

The newly formed transition team, which will be employed on 12-month contracts for an expected duration of two years, will be led by a “master plan operations director” earning an annual salary between $90,000 and $110,000. Other team members will include a capital project manager and a career center capital project manager.

Fowler revealed that two additional positions, an enrollment specialist and a school culture specialist, are likely to be added to the team. Funding for the team will come from a combination of referendum and Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (federal COVID aid) dollars.

The team’s primary responsibilities will involve developing a transition plan for each school building, seeking approval from the administration and board, and implementing the redistricting and capital projects plans. They will also be responsible for maintaining communication with parents and the broader school community, bridging the gap between the administration, the board, and construction teams.

Fowler emphasized the district’s extensive research on consolidation practices in other urban districts and the team’s role in ensuring a smooth transition, prioritizing family engagement and providing access to quality education.

The closure of Clay High School and the proposed district-wide consolidation plan were also approved by the South Bend school board. The plan aims to address long-standing issues of under-enrollment and will close the north side high school and Warren Elementary School in the summer of 2024. In addition to these closures, the plan includes a comprehensive revision of the school structures across the district.

Students will be restricted to attending elementary and middle schools within designated geographic attendance boundaries, while new pre-K-8 educational pathways will be offered as an alternative to the traditional elementary-to-middle school transition. The plan requires substantial investments in school renovations, establishment of geographic boundary lines.

This story was originally published in the South Bend Tribune on June 22nd, 2023. Portions of this article have been generated using artificial intelligence.