THE HEAT IS ON!

Thanks to a very detailed, factual, citizen-submitted Situation Report outlining what precisely was achieved from last March's boundary decision, the fires are crackling once again under the school board.

"I feel the heat on me right now."

- school board member Caren Diedrich

The only question is, if Town of Bristol resident (and situation report author) John Welke saw so crystally clear that the actions taken by the board accomplished little--if not nothing, then why didn't the board? Why did it take a resident, instead of a board member, to raise this issue?

Mr. Welke's well-researched situation report identified the following problems resulting from the boundary decisions made last March:

• Only 17 Students of the District Office’s projected 53 students actually transferred from CH Bird to Westside.


• There was no significant reduction in F\R lunch percentages or balance in socio-economics at Westside as a result of the student movement from CH Bird to Westside.


• There was no significant space created at CHB to get below the schools capacity and create a long term solution to the schools attendance numbers and projected growth.


• The total number of “instructional classrooms” at CHB currently being used this school year has not been reduced.


• The District office, based on their policies and the lack of reasonable interpretation of their policies, forced younger siblings of "grandfathered" students to be separated even though there was room for them at CH Bird.


• The Free and Reduced (F&R) Lunch percentage increased at CH Bird School.


• The description of the affected area in the Town of Bristol is flawed.


• The affected area has created an island without what most people would consider a “neighborhood school”.


• Area developers report that new construction in Bristol Gardens has been slowed primarily due to the instability of the school boundaries and the lack of a true neighborhood school...NOT the economic slump that is currently occurring.


• Loss of public trust in the school district/school board and increased open- enrollments out of the school district

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After hearing from a number of residents who supplemented Mr. Welke's facts with anecdotal evidence, the board unanimously approved the following motions:

1. Require the Policy and Education Committee to review Voluntary Placement and Extreme Circumstances policies and practices so that they are in line with the spirit of “Connectedness” and are sympathetic to student and family needs.

2. Convene a special school board work session to discuss approaches that might ensure a more permanent, successful resolution to overcrowding of particular schools.


Read the full text of Mr. Welke's Situation report in the Board package for 11-10-08.