Cathy Petrone's sixth-grade daughter asked an interesting question. "She just started middle school, and now she comes home and she says, 'Are they moving us?'" She doesn't know the answer yet, but she's one step closer. The Board of Education voted, 5-4, to approve a new feeder pattern for Fairfield's three middle schools.
Some parents, such as Trudi Durrell, opposed the decision.
"I don't really care what school my child goes to, because I think that all of the Fairfield schools are excellent," Trudi said. "However, I find it unconscionable that there was such overwhelming public comment to not choose this option ... and the board ignored it."
Under the new system, students from McKinley, Burr and Stratfield Elementary Schools will go to Tomlinson Middle School. Riverfield, Mill Hill, Sherman and Dwight students will advance to Roger Ludlowe Middle School. And students at Jennings, Holland Hill, Osborn Hill and North Stratfield will move on to Fairfield Woods Middle School.
The Board of Education's Facilities Subcommittee said its chosen option met all of the redistricting criteria except one. The board preferred to limit the number of schools changed. But eight schools will change feeder patterns, and only three will remain the same. But the committee wrote in its report that "the other criteria ultimately outweighed this one negative."
Chair Sue Brand submitted an alternative to shift only four elementary schools and increase the number of walkers. But the board voted it down because Burr would not have fed the same high school as its middle school peers, and it could have overburdened Fairfield Woods and Roger Ludlowe.
The subcommittee did not make a recommendation for a grandfathering system to deal with families already attending middle school. Because of the late hour, it delayed the issue until its next meeting Sept. 28. But Superintendent David Title urged for a decision by the end of the month.
"We really need a decision before September 30, so we can go ahead with our planning," Title said.
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