Community
redistricting
talk planned
JACKSON — As the school district plans to open its sixth elementary school in September 2003, it is embracing the opportunity to consider placing fifth-grade students in the elementary school setting.
According to a press release, through redistricting, the district may distribute the K-5 enrollment into six elementary schools. This approach would help to alleviate overcrowding in the middle schools, according to school officials.
"As we embark on this process, please know that we are committed to carefully researching the best way to educate our students," said Board of Education President Kathleen Kelly Mallette. "We are equally committed to looking at the big picture of growth in town, not just the immediate task of opening this new school."
The board and administration are analyzing the capacity of each school and researching the future of growth in the town. While that research continues, the district will focus on soliciting community input.
"The key here is to create a plan that is sensitive to the needs of the entire school community," Mallette said. "The best way to do that is to make sure we are reaching out to the community from the beginning. We need to be sure we know the priorities and concerns of our parents and staff from the beginning."
The first of several public meetings will be a community forum on redistricting to be held Nov. 12 at 7:30 p.m. in the Fine Arts Center of Jackson Memorial High School.
"The goal of this public forum will be to present research completed so far and to solicit input and suggestions from the community," Mallette said. "This is not a meeting to present a preconceived plan. It is a forum to help us share ideas and concerns as we begin the process."
According to the press release, the board has already reached out to the community through a community survey on redistricting, which was posted on the district Web site and distributed to parents at back to school nights in September.
The results of that survey — including the concerns and suggestions the board has been asked to consider — will be presented at the Nov. 12 community forum.
The board has also created a redistricting committee made up of administrators, staff, parents and other community members. Following the Nov. 12 community forum, the redistricting committee will work with the board and administration to help draft redistricting options.
Over the winter, board members and administrators will also be attending staff and parent teacher group meetings at each school to have additional discussions.
At least one more community forum will be held in January to present narrowed options for redistricting and to solicit community input on those narrowed options. The redistricting committee will review the feedback from that January forum and will continue working with the board and administration over the winter and on a redistricting plan.
The board anticipates being able to announce a redistricting plan sometime in the spring, according to the press release.