New elementary school boundaries were approved by the Lapeer Board of Education at its regular meeting Thursday night.
Board members, as they did when the plan was presented in December, praised the administration for designing a plan that affected only three percent of the District’s 2,900 elementary school students.
State funding cuts, the previous closings of Attica, Irwin and Hadley Elementary Schools, and the upcoming closing of Elba Elementary School in June, coupled with the opening of two new sixth, seventh and eighth grade middles schools made the realignment a necessity.
The plan includes the option for parents of the small number of students scheduled for new schools to remain in their current building through the In-District Schools of Choice program. There also will be room for Out-of-District Schools of Choice. Both In-District and Out-of-District Schools of Choice parents must provide their own transportation.
Re-balancing the student populations, closing a building and designing more efficient bus routes all save money for the District which can be used for academics.
With the board’s approval Thursday night, all elementary parents will receive a letter about the changes and will be invited to meetings where the changes will be discussed. The In-District Schools of Choice will open in February and close in March. Staffing for each school will be determined in March and tentative teaching assignments announced in April.
Showing posts with label elementary realignment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label elementary realignment. Show all posts
Friday, January 8, 2010
Friday, December 18, 2009
Elementary realignment, new boundaries discussed at Board of Education meeting
Only three percent of the District’s 2,900 elementary school students will be impacted by a proposed realignment of the District’s elementary schools boundaries for 2010.
With continued State funding cuts, the previous closings of Attica, Irwin and Hadley Elementary Schools, the future closing of Elba Elementary School in June and the opening of two new sixth, seventh and eighth grade middle schools, the need to realign and rebalance student population among the remaining buildings was a necessity.
In designing new bus routes and boundaries, the District’s elementary principals, central office administration and transportation department were able to keep all but 101 students within their current school boundaries.
Even with the realignment, there will be room for In-District Schools of Choice that will allow parents flexibility in keeping their students in a particular school even if it is outside the particular boundary for their children. In those cases parents will have to provide transportation to the selected school. There will also be room for Out-of-District Schools of Choice.
“We expect every student will be able to remain in his or her current school if parents choose Schools of Choice,” said Superintendent Debbie Thompson.
“Our administration and transportation department should be commended for proposing boundaries that affect only three percent of our elementary population. Through Schools of Choice, all of our students have the opportunity to remain at the schools they now attend for the 2010-2011 school year,” said Board of Education President William Laidlaw. “This decision illustrates the District’s commitment to providing a stable learning environment for our students and families within the community.”
In January, all elementary parents will receive a letter about the changes and be invited to meetings where the changes will be discussed. The In-District Schools of Choice will open in February and close in March. Staffing for each school will be determined in March and tentative teaching assignments announced in April.
With continued State funding cuts, the previous closings of Attica, Irwin and Hadley Elementary Schools, the future closing of Elba Elementary School in June and the opening of two new sixth, seventh and eighth grade middle schools, the need to realign and rebalance student population among the remaining buildings was a necessity.
In designing new bus routes and boundaries, the District’s elementary principals, central office administration and transportation department were able to keep all but 101 students within their current school boundaries.
Even with the realignment, there will be room for In-District Schools of Choice that will allow parents flexibility in keeping their students in a particular school even if it is outside the particular boundary for their children. In those cases parents will have to provide transportation to the selected school. There will also be room for Out-of-District Schools of Choice.
“We expect every student will be able to remain in his or her current school if parents choose Schools of Choice,” said Superintendent Debbie Thompson.
“Our administration and transportation department should be commended for proposing boundaries that affect only three percent of our elementary population. Through Schools of Choice, all of our students have the opportunity to remain at the schools they now attend for the 2010-2011 school year,” said Board of Education President William Laidlaw. “This decision illustrates the District’s commitment to providing a stable learning environment for our students and families within the community.”
In January, all elementary parents will receive a letter about the changes and be invited to meetings where the changes will be discussed. The In-District Schools of Choice will open in February and close in March. Staffing for each school will be determined in March and tentative teaching assignments announced in April.
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