A survey has been sent to Panama, Clymer and Sherman residents as the districts’ merger feasibility study begins in earnest.

The community survey officially opened on Wednesday, and will be open to all community members until Feb. 13 at 5 p.m. The survey is available through all three school districts’ websites, and more details will be sent out in the mail.

“All CSP residents will be receiving a mailed communication with directions on how to access the survey,” Shelly O’Boyle, CSP Merger Study project coordinator. “We encourage anyone that does not receive this mailing to contact their district.”

O’Boyle emphasized that this survey is for residents of the communities of the three districts only.

As the study continues forward, O’Boyle said getting as much information and participation from the three local communities is essential to knowing what people are looking for during this process.

“The three Boards of Education want as much input from their communities as possible,” O’Boyle said. “Results of the survey will help shape the future of education in their districts.”

Besides the study, one of the next upcoming items involved in the merger feasibility study is the beginning of meetings of the steering committee, which the members of were announced on Tuesday. The steering committee includes community members, parents, students, support staff, teachers and administrators from all three districts.

Steering committee members are as follows:

Community members; Keith Beckerink and James Caflisch from Clymer, Heather White and Inta Damcott from Sherman, Melissa First and Jolene Ayres from Panama, Parents; Melissa Brumagin and Bethany Collins from Clymer, Travis Weise and Janelle Meredith from Sherman, Abbey Phillips and Amanda Kolstee from Panama, Student; Noah Fuller from Clymer, Larsen Swan from Sherman, Andrew Apthorpe from Panama, Support Staff; Mel Battaglia from Clymer, BettyJo Nickerson from Sherman, Jen Gonzalez from Panama, Teacher; Zac Camarata from Clymer, Dakota Morana from Sherman, Evan TeCulver from Panama and Administrator; Jarrett Wiggers from Clymer, Kim Oehlbeck from Sherman and Scott Costantini from Panama.

As for the next steps in the merger feasibility study process, O’Boyle said the community survey results will be shared and White and Partners will be analyzing data in specific areas, such as enrollment projections, instructional programming, student instructional programming — which includes student opportunities and support services — facilities and food services, student transportation, staffing, financial and economic analysis, and community and school culture. Community forums will be held in each district in late February and early March.

The first community forum is set for Clymer Central School’s Student Performance Center at 7 p.m. on Feb. 23. The community forum at Sherman Central School will be in the auditorium on March 9 at 7 p.m. and the community forum at Panama Central School’s auditorium will be on March 11 at 7 p.m.

More information on the survey, steering committee, or any other aspect of the ongoing merger feasibility study can be found on each school districts’ website.