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MONROE: BOE considers redistricting

No formal votes taken yet

By Jenine Clancy, Special Writer
MONROE — The Board of Education accepted recommendations from the town’s Ad Hoc committee leader to look into redistricting the schools for the future because of continuing housing development in town.
The media center was packed Wednesday night with parents and citizens voicing their concerns over, what they thought was an actual vote on redistricting boundaries in town.
"The enrollment, there are a lot of rumors going around , how much overcrowding there is with the schools, developments being built. It’s something to keep in mind," said resident Mark Klein.
"The schools do not have the capacity for hundreds of students coming in," Resident and Ad Hoc Committee Member Chrissy Sterby said. "We are asking the board to consider this development when coming up with a redistricting plan, we don’t want to be here two years from now going over this and learning the plan backfired.
The Ad Hoc Committee, is made up of people in town, board members, parents, had a public meeting on Sept. 30th.
Some members proposed to the board to possibly look into redistricting or coming up with a referendum to vote on at a future meeting to point them in the right direction.
The board passed both proposals on Wednesday night after Ad Hoc Committee Leader Joe Homoke made the recommendation.
"The ad hoc just made recommendations, they have no power, the board has the power," said Ad Hoc committee member and Board of Education Candidate Lou Masters. "We have been doing the Ad Hoc for two years now, and we wanted to bring the community together each month to discuss what was best for our schools. I have been reading a lot of stuff on Facebook and I have never seen such a negative reaction to the community trying to do the right thing."
"I feel that, as parents, we really weren’t that informed and given enough transparency," Resident Maureen Drapic said.
Board President Kathy Kolupanowich said sternly that no vote was going to be taken to redistrict the town, but to look into the possibilities of what the steps are to take. Any redistricting ideas have to be sent to the Building and Grounds committee she said.
"I understand there is a lot of misinformation out there," Interim Superintendent Dennis Ventrello said. "The intent of the ad hoc committee, and being on the ad hoc commtiee the past two years I feel it’s premature and too emotional, you have parents on either sides of the chairs and seniors on the other side of the chairs and you do not have the right information."
"I just want everyone in the community to keep in mind, we have to make some serious decisions coming up, as a principal at Brookside school..that was redistricting…as a principal at Oak Tree school that was redistricting…as a principal at Applegarth School, that was redistricting," Mr. Ventrello said with a laugh from the crowd.
"What you should know that a community thats thriving, redistricting happens all the time, if the community is downsizing you think about closing schools, thats redistricting…With that said, the quality of education in each of our schools is exception," Mr. Ventrello said to a thunderous applause.
The board plans to speak about any redistricting updates at the next board of education meeting next month.