Where to send South School kids?
Published on January 14th, 1998
STONEHAM, MA - Describing it as a "wonderful problem," Stoneham School Supt. Dr. Ellen Bueschel Tuesday afternoon described several different scenarios for the one-year redistricting of South School students in the fall.
Demolition of South School is expected to begin this summer as the first phase of the $40 million system-wide elementary school renovation project begins. The entire demolition-construction process is expected to take 14-18 months, necessitating a temporary home for next year's K-3 students at South.
Speaking to three dozen parents and School Council members in the school's tiny basement cafeteria/gymnasium, Bueschel said eight years of planning came to a "marvelous conclusion" when Stoneham voters in December approved the largest school building plan this year in the state by the widest ratio in state history.
Bueschel told the parents that the State Department of Education will not allow the town to keep a school on the South School site while a new school is being built.
Therefore, Bueschel asked to speak to the parents to gain some insight into the issues which are critical to them as she and her administrative staff attempt to find temporary classrooms for the South School students.
A final decision will be made at the March School Committee meeting, but there are several possibilities on the table. From Tuesday's discussion, Bueschel appears to be leaning in three directions: using a couple of classrooms at North School; finding classroom space at the high school or locating classrooms in a building in a nearby community.
"The one area in our district where there are extra classrooms is at the high school," said Bueschel.
But unfortunately there are not seven classrooms in a row at the high school to house all of the South School students. South School Principal Dr. Paula Sline said if the high school is used, South School would employ a staggered start so the younger children would not be arriving or leaving at the same time as the older students.
Sline said she has met and will continue to meet with SHS Principal Tom Ryan about the viability of using the high school. Sline said that bringing elementary age students to a section of the high school could fit well with SHS's childcare program.
"We are looking at turning a lemon into lemonade," said Sline, who also heard concerns from parents about mixing such young impressionable students with teenagers.
Bueschel said she has also looked at a "couple " of out-of-district for classroom space, but unfortunately four neighboring communities are also going through school renovation projects and the competition is fierce for any available rooms.
As far as North School is concerned, the current preschool program, which is located there, would likely remain since there is not another local facility that is handicapped accessible.
"It would be very expensive to outfit another site to be handicapped accessible to allow the preschool to move there," said Bueschel.
Therefore the available classroom space at North School is limited.
Some of the other preliminary options which were discussed on Tuesday afternoon include:
*The private Edgewood School on Pond Street. Bueschel has spoken with Edgewood Principal Bill Arnold who said that, at the most, only 1-3 classrooms might be available depending on their enrollment figures next year.
*The Visiting Nurses site at the former East School. Bueschel said the structure is not up to school building code, but it could be used for office space to gain classrooms at another school within the district.
*The former Sunshine Nursing Home on Benton Street. The superintendent said the facility would be difficult to retrofit for a temporary school.
*Moving fifth grade students to the Middle School to open space at other elementary schools. This suggestion has been met with severe opposition from parents which Bueschel said she has "heard loud and clear."
*The Middle School has very little room next year with the largest class ever entering as sixth graders. However, there has been some discussions about moving the eighth graders to the high school.
In determining where to house next year's South School students, Bueschel and Sline said several programmatic factors must be taken into consideration.
"At the very least, we want to keep the first and second graders together so the looping program can continue," said Sline.
Sline said they cannot guarantee that both third grade classes will be in the same building next year, but parents made it clear that they would like to see that happen.
Sline added that South School kindergarten students would be kept together "no matter where it is."
Despite the possible multiple sites, Sline insisted that the children "will not lose their identity as South School students."
"The same programs that are offered here will be offered at the temporary sites and the staff will remain the same," said Sline, adding that school-wide functions would also be planned. "It will be a priority that the students continue to consider themselves South School students and maintain our South School curriculum."
Many parents were concerned about transportation issues.
Bueschel guaranteed that all students will be provided transportation wherever their temporary classroom may be. She added that there could be delayed starts so parents would have enough time to drop off more than one child at two different schools in the morning.
Bueschel also noted that if the new school is not completed by September 1999, the South School fifth graders who would be at Robin Hood, could return to South School in the spring to complete their elementary career. One parent however felt it would be better to keep those students, if necessary, in the same school for the entire year.
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