By:Andrew Coen
The meeting drew such a huge turnout that when some 100 people tried to crowd into the 72-seat Lawrence Middle School board room, the school board was forced to move the meeting to the school-s auditorium. There a new table needed to be set up, causing a 15-minute delay.
The feasibility study, which the board unanimously authorized at its Feb. 10 meeting, examines the possibility of a phased-in plan that would convert the Number One, Two and Five Schools from the current grades 1 through 5 into grades 1 through 6, change the Number Six School in Woodmere into the new middle school and use the current middle school as the site for the high school.
During the public-comment portion of the meeting, Number Six School parent Lisa Manuel read from a letter about the trauma that current fifth-graders at the Woodmere school would face if the consolidation plan were to happen, since they would remain in elementary school for another year instead of moving on to middle school.
These children have been preparing emotionally for graduation since last summer, said Manuel. The entire school year has been conducted to date with their moving up in mind. To take this away from them now, or in two months following the anticipated culmination of your feasibility study, would be psychologically devastating.
If the school board approves the plan this school year, students entering sixth grade in September would remain at their elementary schools, with the middle school housing only grades seven and eight while a new roof and other modifications occur at the site.
Manuel urged the board to take its time in making any decisions. It is my greatest hope that the board refrain from making any hasty decisions. Don-t dawdle, but don-t rush, said Manuel. Let-s make sure that our next move is the right move. We need action now, yes! But that does not necessarily mean jumping in head-first. It means using our heads first and jumping in when we are as certain as can be that the water is perfect.
Another prepared statement was read by Number Six School PTA Co-President Marguerite Engleman, who said change is needed but that the interests of the children should come first. We all know we will face some difficult and painful decisions, because the Ôstatus quo- is no longer acceptable, Engleman read. Parents may understand these things, but we think with our hearts. These are our children, our children that will be affected by the decisions you make.
Number Six School parent Flora Chen voiced concerns about the potential psychological impact on first-graders who would have to change schools during the phasing-in process of the plan were it to take place. It is in September 2005 that the preliminary plan would be to re-assign the roughly 200 students at the Number Six School to the remaining three elementary schools, which would convert the Number One, Two and Five Schools into grades 1 through 6.
The incoming first-graders to the Number Six School in September will have to adjust to their new school for one year and then move to another elementary school and adjust once more, said Chen. Imagine the undue stress to 5- and 6-year-olds because of a second year in a row of change and adaptation.
Chen also said that if any elementary school had to close, it should be the Number Five School in Cedarhurst and not the Number Six School. Just as the parents of Number Five spoke last year or the year before, the people of Number Six are speaking now. Listen to us! yelled Chen. If a building must close, make it the one with the least to offer; the one without beautiful fields, without an outstanding gym and without an unsurpassed elementary school auditorium. Make it Number Five, not Number Six.
The board considered closing the Cedarhurst school last year under a different consolidation plan, but after it drew outrage from parents and teachers, the idea was dropped.
Educational concerns were also raised at the meeting by teachers from the Number One and Six schools, as well as a librarian from the Number Five School. They wondered how the possible changes would affect the curriculum for the elementary-school students. Longtime District 15 resident Asher Matathias spoke favorably of Fitzsimons and the feasibility study. I endorse his initiative for a feasibility study, said Matathias. We are very fortunate to have a superintendent of Dr. Fitzsimons- caliber. We have at the helm an administrator who resonates how to tackle the problems that have begun to jeopardize for too long.
School board president Frank Parise assured the public that all comments and questions raised will be considered by the board during the feasibility study process. I-m sure there are going to be a lot more questions, and I want to reassure everyone that every question will be answered, and this is a process that has just started and we haven-t discussed it for three minutes yet, said Parise. I thank you for your questions, and keep them coming.
You raised a lot of important questions, and I hope this feasibility study will address them before we bring any recommendation to the board, Fitzsimons told those who spoke. We are going to be consulting with the faculty and staff and certainly the parents.
In a phone interview, Lawrence Central Council PTA Co-President Nikki Green Douglas said, We-re try to tell [the parents] that this is just a study, and if the study is not going to enhance the children-s education, then the board is not going to put the plan through. [The parents] understand that something has to be done, but they want to make sure all the tools are in place.
