Major Changes Proposed in School Re-districting

Twenty percent of the elementary student population will be shifted if a proposal, being developed by an ad hoc Board of Education Feasibility committee, is adopted.

The committee was assembled to address three major problems in the school system that were the subject of a year-long study by an architectural firm (JCJ Architecture) - racial imbalance at Mcdonough, crowding at Moody, and a creating a system of "neighborhood" schools.


Biggest Changes at Farm Hill and Moody

Not all numbers are firmed, or voted on by the committee but if the current proposal is passed, as many as 47 new students will be enrolled at Farm Hill School, and Moody's population will decrease by 54 students.  Bielfield is currently slated for an increase of 19 students and Lawrence an increase of 12.  Decreases will be seen at other schools including a decline of 2 at Macdonough, 26 at Snow, 4 at Spencer and 11 at Wesley.

Many of the students moved will be from city populations of minority students, and students served by the free lunch program, most of whom are from families afflicted by poverty.


Will BOE Vote on Tuesday?

There is some speculation that these redistricting changes will receive last minute alterations at the final meeting of the ad hoc committee on Monday March 8, at 5:30 PM,  presented to the board on, and possibly be put up for a vote on Tuesday March 9.  Other sources say the Board of Education will wait until its next regular meeting after Tuesday.

If the plan is voted on Tuesday March 9, it will only allow parents and educators less than 24 hours to consider the plan, and to address concerns to the Board of Education before its regular meeting on Tuesday.


COMMENTARY: Considering the impact of the plan, and the fact that it is a year in the making, waiting an additional month to vote on the plan would seem prudent, and only fair to those potentially affected by the proposed plan.


Ad Hoc Committee Make Up

Selected for the ad hoc committee are Board of Education members (Sally Boske, Judy Russo, Corrine Gill), parents (Ava Hart representing Bielefield, Taneone Hurlburt representing Macdonough, Kevin Smith representing Moody and Lukanya Wilborn represent Wesley), Common Council member Hope Kasper, community members (Jen Alexander from Kid City and the Macdonough PTA, Betty Graham from Cross Street, Izzi Greenbderg from the North End Action Team), teachers (Jen Cannata - Moody, Joanne Jukins - Macdonough, Ann Lohrand  - WWMS), Principals (Jim Gaudreau - Snow, Jon Romeo - Macdonough), Colleen Weiner - Middletown High School), and Central Office officials (Barbara Senges, Ken Jackson, Jared Morin, Mike Milardo, Donna Marino).

While the redistricting affects the entire city, the committee consists of 4 representatives from Macdonough, two from Moody, one from Wesley and Snow.  There are no representatives from Farm Hill, Bielfield, Lawrence and Spencer schools.