By KAREN RICE
Presently, the Lawrence Public Schools' Redistricting Committee has been researching the topic for more than one year and is preparing a report to be presented to the school board for review at the board's next work session, Tuesday, Feb. 4. The committee will not be making any decisions or recommendations.
Many parents came to the meeting to make sure the school board knew they were not supportive of any decision to sell a school, but board trustee Anthony Licatesi reassured them that no decision has been made and there were no plans to sell a school.
Despite the rumors swirling, there have been no decisions made to sell any schools, he said. There is no vote or discussion to sell a school and I know personally I would never vote to sell a school.
Parent Ilyse August, who has three sons in the district, said she moved from Florida to escape overcrowding in schools and would be very displeased if closing a school would cause more overcrowding in District 15.
I lived in Florida where the schools were very overcrowded and I ran as fast as I could from that school district, she said. Their learning was scary there.
Parent Barbara Trento, who has a child in the Number Five School and another in Lawrence Middle School, wanted to know more about the redistricting committee and about the criteria for closing a school. I have questions and I want answers, she said to applause from the crowd. What is the criteria for closing a school and who is this committee creating the report? What are their backgrounds?
The board assured the parents that they would answer any questions about the committee and the report at the next work session.
Parent Nancy Fragner, who has three children in the district who attended the Number Four School, wanted the board to know how happy she is with the school.
All my children attended the Number Four School, she said. How proud we should be that we have such a wonderful school. The feeling you get from the school is of a warm and caring environment. For me, this [possibly closing a school] is a very personal issue.
She added that she's concerned five to 10 years from now closing a school could turn out to be a bad decision if the student population were to grow.
There is a house for sale on my block and who is to say that a family who has four kids will not move in? she asked the board. People with children can move all over the district [causing the student population to unexpectedly grow]. Let's not be shortsighted and try to solve our temporary financial problems by closing a school. If we do that we might as well give up the fight and give up everything.
Herbert Oshrain, a member of the Lawrence Association, told the board that he felt the Lawrence Association would be in favor of placing the Peninsula Public Library in the Number Five School, if the board chose to close that school.
If the board, in its infinite wisdom, decides to close the Number Five School, I believe the Lawrence Association would be in favor of moving the library to School Number Five.
In a phone interview, Oshrain added that this is his personal belief and the Lawrence Association would have to take a poll before it took any official position on the issue.
Parent Freda Schaffler, who has two children in the Number Five School, told the board that although a library is a valuable resource, the board should not forget that a school is more valuable.
Although a library is a very valuable resource, our schools are even more important, she said. Overcrowded classes are not acceptable. I urge you to look more closely at other options [besides closing a school].
