GUILDERLAND — The next step in solving the school district’s problem of too much space for too few students will likely be the appointment of a citizens’ task force to study different ways of repurposing some classrooms.

Three members of the school board’s communications committee — Chairwoman Judy Slack, Catherine Barber, and Allan Simpson — met on Friday morning to review responses from a Nov. 19 public forum on the issue and to recommend how the board should proceed. They sat around a table with the district superintendent, three assistant superintendents, and the public information officer.

When the communications committee was formed, its members had discussed matters like neighborhood coffee klatches to answer budget questions. But, since Marie Wiles became superintendent four years ago, it has played an important role in how the community gathers to discuss school issues. For example, the committee designed the “community conversations” that replaced a citizens’ budget advisory committee in shaping annual spending, and most recently it developed the district’s first summit to brainstorm ideas on the problem of excess space.

In reviewing the “pretty massive” responses to the summit, Slack said there was “a lot of advice but a lot of support, too.” The responses are on the district’s website at guilderlandschools.org.

Slack reiterated a point she had made last Tuesday when the board discussed how to proceed with solving the excess-space issue. “There were people who wanted us to listen and people who wanted us to talk,” she said.

Guilderland had hired a consultant, Paul Seversky, to study the issue. He released a report in June that concluded with six scenarios. One would have maintained the status quo —five elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school — at no savings. Four would have closed Altamont Elementary and one, Lynnwood Elementary School for a saving between $1.2 million and $2 million annually.

After strong protests from Altamont, the board voted, 7 to 2, in August to set aside the scenarios.

Board member Christopher McManus said at last Tuesday’s meeting that Seversky’s report was wrong to first close a school rather than initially exploring other cost-saving or revenue-generating options.

As the committee members on Friday started discussing the mechanics of the summit and the need to be inclusive, Wiles said, “I don’t know that we need more brainstorming; we need to narrow so we can get to work.”

She suggested a research group on pre-kindergarten classes was “high on everyone’s list.”

In the fall of 2010, a task force that had studied full-day kindergarten recommended to the board that the district move to a full-day from its half-day program. The task force included school staff, board members, community members, and local preschool owners.

While the school board unanimously supported the educational advantages of full-day kindergarten, it was deeply divided over whether or not to implement the program because of the costs.

It ultimately passed with a split vote although full-day kindergarten was re-examined for several budget cycles after that.

Assistant Superintendent for Instruction Demian Singleton told the committee on Friday that evaluating and implementing full-day kindergarten was “a good three- to four-year process.”

Assistant Superintendent for Business Neil Sanders noted that the district realized transportation savings from the full-day plan because no mid-day busing was needed; this would not be the case with starting a preschool program.

Singleton also said there would need to be “two very different conversations” for a district-run preschool program as opposed to a private nursery school leasing space from the district. A district-run program, he noted, would have to come under State Education Department regulations.

“I didn’t think of that,” said Slack.

“We have a cost issue,” said Simpson. “It’s counterintuitive to add cost. That’s going to be a tough sell.”

“I thought the genesis of this was we have excess space,” said Barber, noting “a whole house of the middle school” isn’t needed.

Seversky’s report said that pupil capacity at the elementary schools is underused by about 14 percent, at the middle school by about 25 percent, and at the high school by about 25 percent.

Committee members speculated on how long classrooms would be leased for and what kind of changes the district would have to make to adapt the spaces.

“These are all the kind of questions the committee would wrestle with,” said Wiles. “Our job is to structure the committee.”

She suggested one group to look at pre-kindergarten and another group to look at other repurposing options like adult day care, mental-health services, regional programs in subjects like cosmetology and culinary arts, or incubator programs for fledging businesses.

Sanders noted that the full-day kindergarten task force was appointed by the board and given a charge with a structure and intended outcome. Wiles suggested looking at the letters of invitation that were sent out to the full-day kindergarten task force.

“We might want to reach out to local pre-K providers,” said Wiles.

“Definitely,” responded Singleton, noting the health and safety issues would be specific to 3- and 4-year-olds.

He also estimated that perhaps half of the parents of children that age wouldn’t want to send them to a school. Although it is frequently called “universal” preschool, Singleton said, the programs often serve far fewer than all students. New York State does not require that children attend school until first grade.

“We get many kindergartners who are completely unprepared,” said Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Lin Severance. “They’ve never been to a pre-kindergarten.”

Singleton also said parents may prefer private providers that offer more flexible hours, earlier and later than the school day.

“If we did the rent-out,” said Simpson, “a business would dictate its own hours.”

“So that will be a busy committee,” said Wiles.

Singleton suggested that the task force researching repurposing could research rentals to preschools as part of its work, contacting private providers. That would involve different questions and expertise than studying preschool as part of the district program.

“That’s where the money from the state is,” said Wiles of a district program.

“We understand it better because it’s our life,” said Severance. “The community doesn’t. They’re going to need to be part of it to understand.”

“We do need to pursue that avenue, just to understand what the options are,” said Wiles.

“Should we bring it back to the board?” asked Barber.

Severance suggested “one large committee on repurposing with subcommittees on different issues.” She said, “The first couple of meetings will be getting ideas on the table.” She also noted it won’t affect the 2015-16 budget that the district is working on now.

Barber suggested bringing the matter to the school board at its next meeting, Jan. 6.

“We’ll pull out past materials and sketch out a timeline,” said Wiles, stressing this “can’t wait for another meeting.”

Sanders said that “consistency is important” for appointed task force members. “There will be field trips and work between meetings,” he said.

“I believe there are people who are willing to roll up their sleeves and work,” said Severance, noting the expectations should be clearly delineated.

“At least they got actively involved,” Slack said of the public reaction to Seversky’s report. “Generally, they come to vocalize and then stand back and wait for us to act.”

“We have to capitalize on the momentum,” said Wiles.

“We’re not just trying to make decisions and lord it over,” said Slack.