The Redistricting Committee has recommended establishing a grades 5-6 intermediate school at Auten Road, and a K-4 enrollment at the six elementary schools.
By: Krzysztof Scibiorski
The intermediate school plan can only be "tweaked," not seriously altered, district Superintendent Robert Gulick told parents at a Board of Education meeting Monday.
"Now the die is cast; we will reconfigure to K-4, 5 and 6 this fall," Dr. Gulick said at the start of his presentation of the Redistricting Committee’s latest recommendation to the board.
The plan calls for the establishment of an intermediate school for fifth- and sixth-graders at the Auten Road School, a K-4 enrollment at the district’s six elementary schools and the reassignment of approximately 650 students to different elementary schools.
The committee previously had proposed keeping all seven of the district’s elementary schools as K-5 institutions, with the entire sixth grade housed in an addition at Auten Road.
Dr. Gulick said the committee’s re-examination of May 2001 projected enrollments made a K-4, 5-6 plan possible.
"This projected enrollment stuff is less than exact science," he said. He indicated that the projected numbers had overstated the actual enrollment figures by between 200 and 250 students.
"This public had spoken in October 2000 in favor of this plan," Dr. Gulick said, referring to the passage of a $23 million referendum that included an addition to Auten Road School.
"This plan is significantly better (than the last one). I thank you for re-examining your numbers," said Karen Beyers, a parent who had questioned the accuracy of the district’s assumptions under the committee’s previous plan. Her comments, along with those of several other parents who thanked the committee for reconsidering its proposal, were greeted with applause.
"Thanks for giving us the plan we voted for," one father told the committee.
Parents from the Rohill development provided the most opposition to the plan, arguing against their children being moved from Triangle School to Woodfern School.
"I really liked the second option (K-5 at all elementary schools), and I would appreciate an opportunity for it to happen," said Kelly Patterson, a Peterson Road resident. "I suggest that Rohill be bused to a closer school, not Woodfern."
Ms. Patterson’s statements were supported by other parents who argued that their development was significantly closer to four other schools. Dr. Gulick invited concerned parents to discuss the issue with committee member and Triangle School Principal Charlene Weicksel, and said that "small adjustments to the plan can be made."
Despite some of the objections, it appears that the Board of Education will approve the current plan during its Feb. 25 meeting at the middle school.
"I did not hear compelling reasons to not vote for the current recommendation," board member Neal Hudes said.
Board President Edward Plaskon, as well as members Loren Lemelle, Blair Meiser and Steven Sloan, also indicated their support for the proposal.