Some worry the Renaissance School closing will strain Gomes School. NBPS responds.

NEW BEDFORD — Ten years after opening with its vision of educational experimentation, New Bedford's Renaissance Community Innovation School will be closing at the end of the current school year. According to New Bedford Educators Association President Thomas Nickerson, this has raised some concerns about increased class sizes at Gomes Elementary School, where most of Renaissance's enrollment of 106 will be headed. Central administrators, however, suggest class size won't be a problem.

The Gomes School, located at 286 S. Second St., has shared its building space to also serve as home of the Renaissance School since the latter began in 2013.

"Renaissance is a community school, so the majority of students will be returning to that building. This means that they will be absorbed by the Gomes School staff for next year," Nickerson said at the most recent School Committee meeting on May 8, noting that while over 20 Unit A (teacher) positions are being lost by the Renaissance closure, "only five new positions were created at the Gomes School for next year."

"Understandably the NBEA is concerned about class size at the Gomes School for next year as well as the elimination of those 15 positions," he said. "Any educator can tell you that class size of 30 students is not an ideal learning environment."

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No layoffs, administrators affirm

Later in the meeting, to School Committee member Bruce Oliveira's question: "But, we didn't lay off people, correct?," Superintendent Thomas Anderson responded, "no," while noting "I need to check those numbers," relative to Nickerson's statement.

"We assure the community that any staff that are currently at RCIS that wish to remain with NBPS and that we wish to retain will have a home in the District for the 23-24 [school year,]" NBPS Executive Director of Human Capital Services Heather Elmsley told The Standard-Times via email on Monday.

According to Elmsley, the district has added 11 positions for Gomes School, also noting the 11 other New Bedford elementary schools that have new and/or vacant positions; and Community & Public Affairs Manager Arthur Motta said the closing impacts 25 "active staff members" of Renaissance.

"All staff that are Unit A members (teachers) and that have Professional Teacher Status (PTS) were already assigned a new position for the upcoming school year prior to the May School Committee Meeting," Motta wrote via email.

Nickerson did not return an inquiry for further clarification on his comments in time for publishing.

How will the Renaissance closure affect students?

In a Jan. 25 letter addressed to them, Renaissance families are given two options for the fall: to attend the new Gomes School, or "your neighborhood school if other than RCIS or Gomes."

The letter also states there will be no transportation changes for students, and lists a number of benefits Renaissance students will get if attending the new Gomes School, including "full access to a larger physical site with a gymnasium, fine arts and music classes, STEM Lab, Library and Media Center."

Despite any concerns over class sizes increasing, Motta told The Standard-Times that Gomes class sizes "are expected to be only 17 to 24 students per class, which is consistent with other elementary schools in the District."

Motta also noted Renaissance's pre-K program — the population of which is not counted in the grades K-5 enrollment of 106 — will remain in its current space for next school year.

An email to Renaissance Principal Katelyn O'Donoghue was forwarded to Motta, who said on Monday he could not confirm any information on the future of her position.

Why is Renaissance Community Innovation School closing?

According to the January letter to Renaissance families: "The mission and vision of our school has focused on outreach to families in partnership with the community in order to bring the best practices to bear on the education of your children. As the district has grown and changed over the last few years, many of our practices of family outreach and innovative instruction have found their way into the other elementary schools.

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"In considering what’s best for our Renaissance students, the district has made the very difficult decision not to renew our current innovation plan which expires at the end of the school year."

According to the letter, the closing of Renaissance will also result in a new identity for the Gomes School as the "Alfred J. Gomes Signature School for Languages, Global Learning, and Leadership."

Renaissance history

The Renaissance Community School for the Arts was founded in 2013 in accordance with 2010 state law that allows autonomous "innovation schools" to be established within, and as part of, a public school district, with increased flexibility when it comes to curriculum, budget and other aspects.

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In 2018, Renaissance was reauthorized by the New Bedford School Committee and renamed the Renaissance Community Innovation School. At that time, officials said the school would have a new focus on STEAM areas (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.)

This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: Renaissance School closing sparks class size concerns for Gomes School