Sharon BOE opts into Region One survey, releases new favorability data

SHARON – The Sharon Board of Education voted unanimously June 8 to participate in Region One’s organizational study, a year-long effort aimed at evaluating the district’s K-8 structure and exploring options to ensure long-term educational quality, equity and fiscal sustainability.

To date, Cornwall, Falls Village, Sharon and Housatonic Valley Regional High School have agreed to participate, and no schools have opted out.

Region One superintendent Melony Brady-Shanley said the district has not conducted a comprehensive organizational study in roughly a decade and described the effort as an information-gathering process rather than a plan for immediate change. The study will take place during the 2026-27 school year, with progress reports scheduled for October, February and May before the final findings are presented in June.

The study will examine a broad range of topics, including enrollment and demographic trends, educational programming, staffing, transportation, finances, facilities, governance structures and community impacts.

Brady-Shanley faced questions from the board about why she and Region One Business Manager Sam Herrick plan to conduct the study in-house, rather than hiring outside consultants.

“We are a very unique district,” she said, adding that the learning curve an outside consultant would face would waste time and money when she believes they have well-qualified resources in-house. She added the pair will rely on existing district data and draw from outside expertise when needed.

Board member Pam Carlson questioned whether the project was realistic given the administrators’ existing responsibilities, saying it “does not seem doable.”

Brady-Shanley said the study will be one of her primary goals for the coming year and she is confident the district has the expertise to complete it internally.

Favorability rises among parents, students

The board also reviewed preliminary results from Sharon Center School’s latest “School Culture and Climate Survey.”

The initial data – which is still being analyzed – measured general favorability among parents, teachers, and students. Overall parent favorability rose from 68% to 77% over the past two years. Student favorability among grades 3-5 increased from 63% to 85%, while grades 6-8 climbed from 44% to 73%. Staff favorability declined from 71% to 64%.

Principal Carol Tomkalski said the data will be reviewed more extensively to draw conclusions, but noted that this year’s action plan focused heavily on strengthening students’ sense of belonging, which could have contributed to the positive results.

“To actually see that our results have jumped to that extent is just indicative of the efforts that our school culture and climate team and all the staff have been working on,” Tomkalski said.