[CabotCommunity] CABOT SPACE CRUNCH - IMPORTANT INFO TO READ BEFOR SCH. COMM MEETING MON 23rd

[Jo Doherty]

To the Cabot Community 

 

PLEASE READ THIS EMAIL IN FULL - IT CONTAINS IMPORTANT INFORMATION AFFECTING
YOU & YOUR FAMILY

 

As many of you know from our previous correspondence this Monday, October
23rd, the Newton School Committee will discuss how to accommodate the need
for additional classrooms in 5 overcrowded elementary schools, including
Cabot School, in September 2007. On Friday the Newton Public Schools
released a memorandum, posted on their website, which provides some more
details on the policy options under their consideration & the criteria by
which they will be assessed. Sarah Ecker, Chair of Cabot's Political Issues
Committee has very kindly provided the following summary. However, we urge
you to read the memo in full - it contains just over three pages of text and
one table of data. To make it as easy as possible we have attached the memo
to this email & provided the link for you to view the memo online and
additional background materials at:
www.newton.k12.ma.us/schoolcommittee/actions/elem_space.html 

 

The School Committee will discuss short-term space needs at its regularly
scheduled meeting on Monday night, October 23rd at 7:30 p.m at the Education
Center, 100 Walnut Street. You are encouraged to attend the meeting or watch
it broadcast live on NewTV (local cable channel 9 or 10). On Wednesday,
October 25th at 7:30 p.m. ,at Oak Hill Middle School,  the School Committee
is hosting an interactive forum to allow a dialogue with parents about the
general policy options outlined in the memo. Please attend, share your views
and ask questions. The forum will be taped by NewTV and shown at a later
date. As noted in the memo, the School Committee will continue its
discussion of short-term space needs at each of its regularly scheduled
meetings and vote on a policy on December 11, 2006.

 

Modular Classrooms 

Full sized modular classroom structures can be purchased and installed at
school sites that meet building site requirements.Newton's Public Buildings
Dept. is evaluating site feasibility of all 5 schools . Double-decker models
are a possibility, but require an elevator. Costs for turnkey installations
range from $170,000 to $260,000 (without elevator).

 

Cohort Redistricting 

Small groups (20 or fewer) of students from the same grade could be
reassigned to another school with available space for one year. Favorable
class size could be offered to this group and transportation would be
provided.

 

Optional Zones

There are 14 optional/choice zones in Newton & 450 students in grades K-5
live in these zones. Students in these zones could be assigned to schools
with space available.

 

Carr School

The old Carr School on Nevada St. is currently in use at the Newton Cultural
Center. It could be used to house the citywide preschool program freeing up
space in other elementary schools for regular classroom space & be
potentially considered as a new elementary school. Renovation of the first
floor only would cost $3 million and take 12 months.

 

Citywide Programs

Citywide programs currently housed at Lincoln Eliot (four rooms), Franklin
and Countryside (one room each) could be relocated to enable cohort
redistricting.

 

Redistricting

A redistricting plan could be developed to reassign portions of school
neighborhoods to relieve overcrowding at some schools and enlarge school
populations in locations with decreasing enrollment.

Would require a district wide approach.

 

Specialty Rooms 

As a short term measure, art and music could be conducted in regular
classrooms, i.e., "art on a cart," so that classrooms could be used for
regular instruction. Programmatic impact is identified as significant.

 

 

 

 

Jo Doherty

Cabot PTO Co-President

11 Leonard Avenue,

West Newton, MA 02465

617-332-1530

jcdoherty11 at comcast.net

 

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