Looking at three scenarios for redistricting Warsaw Community Schools, the committee decided scenarios A & B should be scrapped, C should be kept but also tweaked to create a fourth scenario.
The redistricting committee met Tuesday night at the WCS administration building. Scenario C and the new scenario will be presented at 10 listening sessions that begin Monday.Warsaw Schools is redistricting because Claypool Elementary is expected to be reopened for the 2010-11 school year, after the expansion and renovations are finished. New Madison and Leesburg schools are being built, and Jefferson elementary also is being improved and expanded. Madison, Leesburg and Jefferson also are tentatively scheduled to be opened for the 2010-11 school year.
The reason for keeping and tweaking C but scrapping A & B is because of enrollment figures. In scenarios A & B, Claypool would have only an estimated enrollment of 284 students. Scenario C would give Claypool an estimated enrollment of 404 students. Members of the committee felt the improved and renovated Claypool should be used more toward capacity to make better use of the tax dollars that went into the additions to the school.
Before the committee of more than 40 persons broke into small groups for discussion, WCS Superintendent Dr. Craig Hintz presented information about Scenarios A, B and C.
Using information provided from the city and county, Hintz provided the number of available lots per school boundaries. The information states how many home sites are available for which homes can be built on now. In the corporation as a whole, there are 897, with about half being in the Harrison and Eisenhower school boundaries. The committee looked at these numbers to gauge future growth for the schools. Hintz said the 897 home sites could mean another 549 children for the school corporation down the road.
In scenario C, the enrollment for each school is estimated at 404 for Claypool; 535, Eisenhower; 516, Harrison; 415, Jefferson; 500, Leesburg; 409, Lincoln; 542, Madison; and 370 for Washington.
The redistricting process began Sept. 22. Hintz said a recommendation is expected to be given to the school board at its Jan. 25 meeting. If all goes well, parents will receive a letter Feb. 1 stating where their child will attend school.
Once the large committee broke into smaller groups, they were asked to discuss the issues of grandfathering sixth-graders in, opening Claypool as a two- or three-section school and discuss the various scenarios.
The first question was "What ideas do you have on grandfathering sixth-grade students (allowing sixth-graders to stay in their current building) for the 2010-11 school year?" The responses ranged from "Do we have to make a decision on that right now?" to "no, don't do it" and "maybe sixth-graders but nothing beyond that."
All the small groups were unanimous in that Claypool should definitely be opened as a three-section school to maximize tax dollars spent on the school. All the groups also agreed scenario C was the best choice, but another version of C should be offered. Scenarios A & B should be scrapped, most agreed, but a couple of tables suggested presenting A & B to the public anyway.
Hintz was asked what WCS will do with the old Madison and Leesburg elementary schools. Hintz responded the school corporation is looking at all their options. No decision has been made on the buildings. It was suggested to Hintz that there should be public discussion on the buildings like there is on the redistricting.
After the 10 listening sessions, the redistricting committee will meet again at 7 p.m. Dec. 14.
More information on the redistricting can be viewed at WCS's Web site at www.warsaw.k12.in.us
