Question: Why are we merging the middle schools in Shirley next year?

Answer: The RTS Committee considered several options with respect to the short and long term plans of the middle school children in the district.  Of utmost concern was the educational programs that would be offered and the environent in which those programs would take place.  The Committee was unanimous in its support for merging the Ayer & Shirley middle school students in Shirley for the short term beginning next year.  The middle school curriculum and extra-curricular offerings can immediately be enhanced by mergin the middle schools next year.  The Committee felt strongly that no child should have to wait for a better education if we can feasibly provide it next year.  After analysis by the Superintendents of both districts in partnership with their leadership teams, it was determined that a merger was feasible and that the program can be improved significantly.  The reason the merger is happening in what is today called the Shirley Middle School is the result of the Committee's effort to provide the best educational environment possible.  The current building is Shirley is less than 10 years old and has facilities such as clience and technology labs not found in the Ayer Middle School.  This, combined with the upcoming renovations and construction project influenced the Committee to decide to have all middle school students attend school in Shirley starting next year.  Once the construction/renovation project is completed in Ayer, the middle school students will return to the facility in Ayer.  In the end, this plan provides the best education in the best environment possible for the students.  This is not the long term plan. 

Question:  Where will students be located next year?

Answer:    Next year, in Shirley, grades pre-k to 5 will be in the Lura White facility; and in Ayer in the Page Hilltop School.  All Shirley and Ayer students from grades 6-8 will be attending middle school in Shirley.  All Shirley and Ayer high school students will go to Ayer.  This will remain true until the construction/renovation project is completed in Ayer to the point where the middle school students can return to the regional middle school located in Ayer.  At that time, Lura White will no longer be used by the district and the Shirley elemntary school students will use the building now known as the Shirley middle schoool.

Question:  What about school choice?

Answer:    Since we are a regional district, there will no longer be a tuition agreement between Lunenburg and Shirley.  All Shirley students will go to their elementary school, their district middle school and their district high school.  That being said, parents may choose to send their children to private school, vocational high school or via the school choice law, to another public school system.  The school choice scenario is dependent upon the willingness of another public school system to accept school choice students into their system and then for that receiving district to determine if there is availability of choice seats in any particular grade level.