k-8 propowal revised edition

Mr. Ely,

If I could get some clarification on this revised proposal. In regards to Howe, what does actually happen with the 5th and 6th graders? What option will they have?

thank you

Mr. Ely,

You stated that you wanted to open priority to Howe because there were families that want this proposal - then shouldn't all the families that want it be guaranteed a spot then? If our children are 4th, 5th or 6th grade this year, (which is my scenario), and we don't have anymore younger kids then we can't go according to how I read it, is that correct?

If a Howe family has a child in K-3 this year and gets in are you going to take their older sibling too? One of our parents has a 1st grader and a 6th grader and really likes this K-8 - if she puts her younger child in for 2nd grade next year can her older child enter 7th grade there? We need clarification.

Thanks

Mr. Ely,
This new proposal is very interesting. I do have one question--if my 1st grader in Howe gets a 2nd grade spot at the new K-8 school, does my present Howe 6th grader get a 7th grade spot at the same school since you have previously stated that you would NOT separate families? Thanks in advance!

A: Let me preface this response by saying that under this proposal, we will not actually be creating a true “magnet” school. The magnet program comes with grant funding which we may apply for in the future but currently do not have for a new magnet. What we are actually proposing is creating a K-8 school of choice and the district may, if funds are available, fund certain targeted programs based on a (yet to be identified) theme out of the general fund of the district budget.

We will do everything we can to keep families together. However, we can only fill available open seats in a “magnet” type of school. The upper grades, next year’s seventh and eighth grade students, will most likely not allow for many students because of the current Central Park students would be permitted the opportunity to remain in the building through their graduation to the high school. This will limit the available spots significantly. That is not to say the students from Howe won’t have a chance to get in through the lottery, but spots will be limited and the probability of getting a spot will depend on availability and the number of applicants.

Unfortunately, as with any magnet lottery, if two children from the same family apply for two different grade levels there is the chance that one may be successful and one may not. In this case we will not be able to keep families together. This scenario is not unlike our current magnet lottery. What we will do in keeping with our current practice is allow sibling entering Kindergarten in subsequent years to enter the K-8 magnet without going through the lottery.

Even with the stimulus package that the federal government is busily enacting, our school budget will face very hard times in the coming year. It sounds like taxes will go up and some people will lose their jobs regardless of how much money we receive through the stimulus package. The budget, afterall, is really the bigger issue at hand. Given this, how can starting a whole new school be anything other than expensive?