What's your preferred option on dealing with projected growth during the next five years in the district's elementary schools?
School board members will host a forum at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 17 at Forestview Middle School in Baxter to address the options. The purpose of the forum is to gather public input on the five proposed elementary school options school administrators have proposed.
Those five options include reopening Whittier school to one section of kindergarten- through fourth-grade and a half-section, or four classrooms, for the Lowell Enrichment program; relocating Baxter fourth grade to Forestview Middle School; purchasing new portable classrooms at Riverside School to create a kindergarten wing; purchasing two used portable classrooms and installing them at Lowell School; and opening Washington Educational Services Building to one section of kindergarten-fourth grade and the Lowell enrichment program.
Administrators have asked the board to make a decision by the Dec. 14 regular board meeting so school staff have enough time to implement any changes by next fall.
Superintendent Steve Razidlo said the forum will begin with presentations reviewing the information that was gathered from the previous community forums on class size and demographics, a review of the board's criteria for facility options and a breakdown of the proposed options for elementary space. Community members will then be given time to express their thoughts on the proposals.
"It's an opportunity for citizens, parents and school staff to be able to share their opinions about the options while there is still time left for the board to reflect on those options," Razidlo said. "School board members have absolutely not made up their minds yet."
The school district has scheduled a school board facilities committee meeting at noon Nov. 10 to prepare for the forum and review the elementary options. Another facilities committee meeting is scheduled for noon Dec. 1 to review input received at the Nov. 17 forum, to discuss the available options and potentially recommend one of those options to implement for the 2010-11 school year. Razidlo said if the committee cannot reach a decision at that meeting, another facilities committee meeting could be scheduled before the Dec. 14 regular board meeting.
JODIE TWEED may be reached at jodie.tweed@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5858.
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