ORCSD Culture: Getting to the Root Cause of the Discord

Durham resident Doug Clark asked that we post the following:

ORCSD Culture: Getting to the Root Cause of the Discord

Compared to when it was first established, the culture of the ORCSD has changed dramatically over the past fifteen years. This change has divided our community and is the most likely root cause of our current disagreements. If we are serious about resolving our differences and healing our community, we need to constructively address this issue, without the personal attacks.

During the formative years of the ORCSD, the educational philosophy of the district was focused on college preparation. We employed tracking and promoted homogeneous grouping. The majority of our students were sent down the “college prep” track. Even when our communities were far more diverse than today, our college metrics rivaled most private schools. Early on, we built a reputation as one of the top public schools in the state.

Partly due to government mandates and partly due to a fundamental shift in our educational philosophy, we now embrace heterogeneous grouping. Unlike many other districts, we have a limited number of AP offerings due to a lack of demand. We have eliminated overt tracking, and focused more attention on special needs and at-risk students.

Have we ever asked ourselves if the benefits of these changes outweighed the shortcomings? Have they impacted our reputation outside of the district? Have they affected the opportunities of our graduates? Have they impacted our ability to retain and attract students to our schools? Do they inhibit our ability to keep up with 21st century philosophies advocated by the state?

It is perplexing that our most recent debates focus on policy, procedures, personnel, and politics. If we are serious about moving on, we need to focus our discussions and debate on more substantive issues and be clear about what kind of schools we want to have.

Oyster River’s college metrics were the deciding factor for many residents to raise their families here. The schools have been a powerful magnet in attracting desirable residents to our towns. Oddly, while the rest of the world is sending more high school graduates to college, Oyster River is sending fewer. Two years ago, when questioned about our declining college metrics, the superintendent said he was “tired of being judged by how many of our kids go to college”. Really?

We are not an average NH school district. Nearly 75% of our residents hold a bachelors degree and more than 40% an advanced degree. It is estimated that 80% of tomorrow’s jobs will require a college degree making this a high priority for most parents. So why are only 68% of our kids moving on to four year colleges after graduation, down from 90%+ in the past? Why are only 80% even taking the SAT? Why isn’t there more demand for AP classes at OR? Why do only 1% of our graduates attend elite colleges, drastically down from previous years? Why isn’t it cool to be smart at Oyster River? These are the metrics that have many questioning what is happening to our district.

Could there be a direct correlation between the erosion of our college metrics and decline in our enrollments? The latest census data for Durham reveals the percentage of residents under the age of 18 has dropped from 21% in 2000 to 12% in 2010. Over that time our enrollments have declined by more than 400 students. The latest projections suggest a loss of several hundred more over the next five years. If true, we will lose more than a third of our enrollment over a fifteen year period, a number that can’t possibly be explained by the economy or declining birth rate alone.

There are also at least 90 kids living in the district who do not attend Oyster River. Thirty four are home schooled. Thirty five are at Berwick Academy, just one of several schools our residents are choosing over Oyster River. How many more would it be if private schools were more affordable or home schooling more practical?

Today, we find ourselves facing a paradox. Our schools aren’t what they were. Some parents are trying to convince themselves everything is fine and their kids will be one of the 68%, but an increasing number of families have given up, and found alternatives to Oyster River altogether. This is particularly true for our top students, creating a brain drain which further erodes our overall results and reputation. Most concerning, we aren’t attracting new families to replace those who leave.

It is time for us to acknowledge we have a problem and fix it … for the sake of our kids, property values, and community. It will take more than School Board members who promote communication, civility and transparency. We all must understand the bigger issues, confront our challenges, and work to resolve our differences with thoughtful answers. It isn’t enough to say we support “excellent schools” and hard working teacher’s, we must define what that means and make it happen.

Real or perceived, we have lost our standing as one of the best public schools in the state. Our schools are no longer the magnet they once were. It is time to put our personal differences aside and resolve the endless debates that are tearing our schools and community apart.