Schools

Centennial School Board Holds Public Forum on Rezoning Map

Parents expressed concerns over the imbalance of total projected students among the three schools.

The Centennial District School Board plans to take a harder look at the redistricting map after meeting with parents from the proposed Regions 2 and 3 (McDonald and Willow Dale) at Log College Middle School Wednesday night.

“We want to make sure that neighborhoods stay together,” said Acting Superintendant Dr. Jenny Foight-Cressman. “We also want to ensure that students finish school at the same building they started.”

She was joined by school board members Michael Hartline and Mark Miller to answer questions, while the rest of the board attended the operations meeting at the Centennial administration building.  Transportation director Wayne Robinson kicked off the evening with a rundown of how the district will be rezoned. His presentation quickly gave way to the Q&A format.

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The main point of contention boiled down to what parents believed to be an inequity in the amount of projected students in each of the three new elementary school. Currently, regions 2 and 3 expect to have a little more than 900 students, with Region 1 (Davis) projected at around 795.

The reason for the 115-student difference, Dr. Foight-Cressman explained, is to allow for the potential addition of more students from the proposed Shenandoah Woods development.

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Currently used as military housing tied to the Willow Grove Air Force Base, the site located behind Warminster Community Park will eventually be vacated following the decommissioning of the base.

There are already plans being considered by the Warminster Board of Supervisors for renovating the area that would result in about 125 units, which would provide more students to the Region 1 school and balance the discrepancy.

Several parents pointed out, however, that those plans are still up in the air and could potentially take more than five years before more students start attending Region 1. In the meantime, the board was asked to alter the map enough to give a little more balance.

Hartline informed the parents that board has considered extending the Region 1 zone slightly west to include some more Warminster neighborhoods, including an 88-unit townhome development under construction at County Line and Davisville Roads.

It’s not just a numbers game for some parents, though. There is also concern that the diverse socio-economic make-up of Warminster will put the students in Regions 2 and 3 at a disadvantage compared to the mostly upper class background at Region 1.

“I’m worried that a classroom at McDonald could have 15 students with English as a second language with 10 English speaking students, compared to a classroom at Davis with completely fluent children,” said Paul Cammarota. “Yes, they both have 25 students, but one class will have an easier time.”

Cammarota was also concerned that the pledge for equity will mean that if one school needs extra services, such as another speech therapist, the other schools will receive the same, regardless of the need.

“We will continue to give every student exactly what they need to succeed,” said Miller. “The services will be determined per the needs of the students.”

Another meeting is scheduled at Klinger Middle School Feb. 16. Whatever decisions the board makes, it needs to happen sooner rather than later. The maps have to be finalized before kindergarten registration begins on March 2.


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