Parents and members of the Prudence Island School Working Committee took their case against closing the school to the Rhode Island Department of Education this morning, as hearing officer Kathleen Murray listened to testimony from School Superintendent Susan Lusi and School Committee member Dick Carpender. I had to leave early, so I didn't get to hear any of the 10-or-so Prudence Islanders, who I suspect might have been there to testify. Town Council President Dennis Canario also made time to attend, which I thought was an important gesture.

The session began with School Department attorney Updegrove questioning Dr. Lusi. After walking her through the history of Portsmouth's school budget crises (in medias res when she came in the door in July of '05), Updegrove focussed on the Caruolo decision and the structural problems it created for the 07-08 budget, as well as the constraints imposed by the Paiva-Weed tax cap, and the urgency of the $71K saving offered by closing the school.

"What is the per-pupil cost of the Prudence Island School?" asked Updegrove. One way to answer that, said Lusi, was dividing the $71K by the two students, which would make it about $35K per pupil, three times what Portsmouth spends on every other kid in the system. And is this the first time the Prudence Island school has been closed? No, Lusi responded, it had been closed from 1982-1989.

The attorney representing Prudence Island, Kim Green, began her cross examination of Dr. Lusi, and focussed immediately on the supervision of Prudence students after school, between the end of the day at 2:10 pm and their ferry at 3:30. Lusi described after school activities or supervision by teacher or aides. Next, Green zeroed in on the difficulties inherent in boating versus busing, with inclement weather that could shut down the ferry.

"Do you have plans for children stranded on the mainland?" Yes, Lusi replied, that there were already plans in place for the PI Middle and High School students that involved staying at a host family's home for the night. "So you're suggesting that they go to a stranger's house for the night," asked Green incredulously. No, said Lusi, by extension from the existing program, they would work to find a classmate of the child, arrange for the families to meet so the kids would feel comfortable.

Green kept hammering at the distance angle. What if there was a problem that required a prent to pick up their child, and they couldn't get there? Lusi was firm: "This is similar to any other student. Many of our students have parents who work at a substantial distance from the school, and it is not inconceivable that anyone might be prevented from reaching the school."

There was intense questioning about the ferry ("Is the ferry suitable transportation for children aged K-4?" Asked Green. "It's licensed to carry people of all ages," replied Lusi, "So with monitors, yes.") and they ranged across its allegedly locked bathroom, the company that operates the ferry, their insurance coverage, and whether the passenger cabin was heated. Most of them Lusi could not specifically answer.

After some questioning about the length of the school day, and a brief redirect by Updegrove that established the existence of policies for "stranded children," Carpender took the stand.

I had to leave in the middle of his testimony, but the beginning of his direct questioning focused on the history of the Prudence Island School working committee and its mandate from the School Committee, and the evolution of the recommendation to close the school. The discussion about closing the school late in 2006, which described much lower cost savings, was predicated on tuitioning the two students out to Bristol. Since Carpender is also the chair of the Finance Subcommittee, there was also questioning about how the Caruolo process impacted the decision to close.

There was a boatload of media there: TV guys Mario Hilario and Jim Hummel, and print reporters from the Newport Daily News, Sakonnet Times, and ProJo. I'm sure someone will have the rest of the story by tonight.