Officials in Schaumburg School District 54 are considering a redistricting plan which would move at least 127 pupils to other schools within the district.
The plan would help the district deal with an expected drop in enrollment next year and would level off class sizes throughout the district, according to Assistant Supt. Ken Cull.
But not everyone is pleased with the plan, including about 50 parents who addressed the board at a meeting late last week.
Fairview PTA president Bill Goffinski told the board the proposal is causing fear and apprehension among parents.
“Please delay further discussion or making decisions on all boundary changes so that we may adequately get (parents’) input,” said Goffinski in appealing to the board.
Under the proposal, 50 pupils would transfer from Fairview to either Dirksen or Nerge and 77 would move from Muir to Blackwell. The transfers would be based on the neighborhood the pupil lives in.
According to Cull, although district enrollment has dropped by 16 pupils this year, certain neighborhoods, and therefore certain schools, have more pupils than others. Fairview, in particular, is outgrowing its building.
But at least one board member rejected an alternative plan, which would convert the library and art rooms at Fairview into classrooms.
“I can’t listen to a plan to tear apart the library and move classes in there without saying that it’s not an instructionally sound program,” said board member Kerry Waser.
Board members also ruled out hiring new teachers or building additions onto schools, noting they do not know how long the district’s enrollment would be uneven.
But Board Member Donna Baiocchi said the redistricting plan still is a difficult option.
“It tears families and neighborhoods apart,” she said. “One child in a family has a history with one school, another child has a history in another school. This is a very difficult thing to go through.”
