Roger Wolcott Moves Closer to Becoming Alternative Ed. School

The Windsor board of education subcommittee charged with determining the future of Roger Wolcot decided Tuesday that transforming the former early education center into an alternative education school may be in the district's best interest.

The decision came after much discussion of the building's possible uses and associated costs, which also included returning the building back to the town, moving the board of education and district central offices to the currently-vacant school and establishing a preschool program at the school.

The cost to tax payers and the amount of time needed to bring each plan to fruition were the determining factors in the committee's decision.

Accordingly, the committee chose to fully vet the possibility of moving the district's current alternative education program — a program currently operating at L.P. Wilson — to Roger Wolcott.

The program serves the district's special education students and expelled students unable to attend classes in Windsor's traditional public classrooms.

Moving the program to Roger Wolcott would cost just over $380,000, according to documents provided at Tuesday's meeting.

If the committee commits to to alternative education route, it could also take on the long-term path of expanding the existing program into a regional alternative education program.

Doing so would enable the district to retain local students currently being transported out of district at high costs, and it could serve students from other districts.

Doing so would carry a price tag of over $2 million. Such a plan could be fleshed out over a number of years, district documents suggest.

Should expansion become a reality in the future, Windsor sit in a financially beneficial position — out of district students could pay tuition to send their alternative education students to the new facility.

Prior to making its decision in favor of the alternative education program, the committee also spent considerable time discussing the possibility of bringing the district's current preschool services to Roger Wolcott and expanding the program into what would be the state's first universal preschool program.

Both committee Chair Leonard Lockhart and committee member Ken Williams expressed interest in providing preschool education for Windsor's youngest students; however, the project was deemed a long-term effort.

Moreover, the committee, with the help of advice from board of education president Doreen Richardson and district Superintendent Dr. Jeffrey Villar, determined the needs of the district's alternative education students to be more immediate.

Part of that perceived immediacy is safety concerns at L.P. Wilson.

According to Villar, L.P. Wilson represents the district's least safe school, in that it is a public building, and has members of the public entering and exiting the premises without having to check in. The building does have cameras, Villar noted.

Moving the program to Roger Wolcott would, among other positives, create a safer environment for the program's students, Villar said.

Should the alternative education program end up at Roger Wolcott, the committee mentioned the possibility of using newly-vacated space at L.P. Wilson to accomodate Windsor's Team Paragon robotics team, which is in search for a permanent home.