The Butler Area School District is relying on a committee to sort through the research, possible impacts and finances to recommend a reorganization plan. “We have spent all year talking about this,” said Superintendent Brian White. “We don't want to make a bad decision.”

The board voted Monday night to form the Community Committee for School Organization, which will be comprised of 37 members, including a number of parents, teachers and administrators, who will review school organization models and look at the impact on students, daily operations and the district's budget.

The committee will conduct its reviews over four sessions and then send a recommendation to the school board. The committee would be under the direction of facilitator Bart Rocco, the recently retired superintendent of the Elizabeth Forward School District in Elizabeth, Pa., and Bille Pearce Rondinelli, a Grable Foundation fellow, educational consultant and retired superintendent of South Fayette School District.

“We're not reconsolidating,” said Jennifer Cummings, board vice president. “We're reconfiguring.”

White also presented to the board data from a community survey regarding the preferred method of organization for Butler schools.

The data show overwhelming support by the community, which included teachers and parents, for organizing the district into one scenario that included seven elementary schools (kindergarten to fifth), one middle school (sixth to eighth) and one high school (ninth to 12th).

Mary Waggoner, board member, said the survey results don't indicate responders who attended an earlier meeting held by White in which he discussed the different scenarios at length.

“People who took the survey online did not have that benefit,” Waggoner said.

She said those who attended would have more information on which to base their response than others.

Another scenario that showed support was retaining the current system of organization — five elementary schools (kindergarten to fourth), one middle school (fifth and sixth), one intermediate school (seventh to ninth) and one high school (10th to 12th).

Some members voiced concern about this plan because it could involve a $20 million renovation at the middle school.

“It's going to be more than that,” said board member Alice Nunes. “I think it's going to bleed us. After the $20 (million), it's going to be (renovation) every five years or 10 years.”

White said there are many ideas on the best plan, even among board members. He said he believes the best possible solution is a plan with seven elementary schools (kindergarten to fourth), one intermediate (fifth to eighth) and one senior high school (ninth to 12th).

“I asked the community, and they didn't necessarily agree with something I presented,” White said.

White said the next step is to get a recommendation from district residents and objective guidance from third-party participants.

“Let an outside group of people really dive into all the details,” White said. “You want a group to vet this out, other than our initial group.”