Redistricting Plan Could Take Six Weeks
The BOE Property Committee plans to hire a demographer within the next week.
It could take a demographer about six weeks to complete a school redistricting plan, which would have it before the Board of Education around May 1.
Board of Education Property Committee Chairman Michael Birnberg said during Monday's school board meeting the committee had interviewed three demographers. It plans to interview two more before making a decision. A decision on a demographer could be made within the next week.
The committee's members have been told by everyone they've interviewed it would cost $8,000 to $10,000 to complete a redistricting plan. Additionally, the demographers said it could take about six weeks to complete the report.
School officials are planning to redistrict students to solve an overcrowding issue at Glenwood Elementary School. Schools Supt. Richard Brodow presented a plan last month that would move 61 Glenwood students to Deerfield Elementary School, the location of Monday's school board meeting. The plan diverts two bus lines from one school to the other. But at the last school board meeting two weeks ago, Birnberg said there were plans to hire a demographer.
Birnberg said there are plans for the community to be involved, but plans had yet to be finalized. He said the demographer would help determine how the community would be involved. Lise Chapman, a board member, continued to say she feels a task force of community members should be created to help form the redistricting plan, citing how the community wants to be involved.
Eric Seigel, a board member and Property Committee member, said it's important for the community to be involved, and the committee would make a decision on residents could be involved once it gets more information.
He cited no matter what, though, some people won't be happy with the redistricting plan. That's why it's important for the board to have as much information as possible before making a decision.
No plans have been determined on what would happen if a redistricting plan is not complete in time for the fall. But Brodow said he does not have plans to increase class sizes in order to save space at Glenwood. Elementary school students are at a vulnerable time in their learning and it would not serve them well to have high class sizes.
In This article
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Glenwood Elementary School
325 Taylor Rd S, Short Hills, NJ -
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Deerfield Elementary School
26 Troy Ln, Short Hills, NJ -
MOMSH
10:05 am on Tuesday, March 9, 2010
I wonder how the community can truly be involved in such a decision. No matter what the decision, some families will be unhappy. It is unfair to have certain community members involved in this decision, especially since those who will want to be involved will likely live in areas that could be impacted. We elected our Board to make the tough calls - they need to do appropriate fact finding, and perhaps even hire the demographer. But, beyond that, they need to make a decision. It seems that they are backing down even more now and Glenwood is still very crowded. When will this get resolved? For those of us in possible areas of redistricting, we need time to tell our kids and help them adjust before Sept. arrives!
Caroline Updyke
2:54 pm on Tuesday, March 9, 2010
I don't think the call to arms would be as strong if the original plan presented had been responsibly researched....and sustainable beyond this year. Fundamentally, the plan undermined the concept of neighborhood schools. It divided pockets of Short Hills into isolated islands. For anyone who took the time to look at the plan, the holes were astounding.
Speaking strictly for my family, we are on the border of Hartshorn and Glenwood. Going into this process I was prepared to be redistricted and, although it would have been upsetting to be redistricted to Hartshorn and have our children's lives disrupted, I could have gotten behind. After all, I have neighbors at Hartshorn. It would still be a neighborhood school.
Instead, the plan presented would redirect us to Deerfield--isolating our little cul-de-sac so that all adjacent homes would be Glenwood or Harshorn.....and the four elementary aged kids (2 of which are mine) would trek to Deerfield. I literally would be able to look out my window and see homes mapped to Hartshorn--only to walk across the house, look out an opposite window and see homes mapped to Glenwood. Brilliant!
Hopefully the demographer and the BOE will look at this problem with a commitment to retain adjacent boundaries. I hope too that they follow the example of the MANY towns who have dealt with this problem in the past (Westfield, as an example) and whose community members responsibly worked together to create a sustainable solution.
Caroline Updyke
2:57 pm on Tuesday, March 9, 2010
I should also mention that the class size issue is perplexing to me---My kids currently are in classes with 20 and 23 kids each. IF we move to Deerfield, I believe the plan stated the classes would increase to 25. When this was questioned, I believe Dr. Jasin indicated the issue was one of public spaces and safety. So I am perplexed by the comment in the article that states: "But Brodow said he does not have plans to increase class sizes in order to save space at Glenwood. Elementary school students are at a vulnerable time in their learning and it would not serve them well to have high class sizes."
I'd love to hear if anyone can address this....
Jennifer Connic
9:09 am on Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Hey Caroline,
I went and looked at the information provided during the BOE meeting at Glenwood. The anticipated average class size at Deerfield under Dr. Brodow's plan:
Kindergarten: 20
First grade: 20
Second grade: 18
Third grade: 18
Fourth grade: 22
Fifth grade: 20
To be fair, here's the numbers for Glenwood:
Kindergarten: 17+
First grade: 20
Second grade: 20
Third grade: 20
Fourth grade: 21
Fifth grade: 20
MCR
9:46 pm on Wednesday, March 10, 2010
I wonder about those numbers and their accuracy. Since Dr. Brodow's initial plan contained numbers that did not reflect reality it's a real concern for me.
For the past few years, incoming Glenwood parents on certain streets were called to see if they would send their children to Hartshorn and none took them up on the offer (probably because no one would make a change voluntarily regardless of what it was?). I wonder why Hartshorn was not part of the plan because as Caroline says, it is closer for many Glenwood families and may make more sense.
Regarding community involvement, what other communities have done and what I think makes sense is to have parents from all five schools plus town residents without children involved. That would hopefully ensure a true representation of the town's desires.
Shari
12:18 am on Thursday, March 11, 2010
Jen, could you also list the class sizes projected for Glenwood and Deerfield for next year if Dr. Brodow's plan is not implemented and nothing else is done to alleviate Glenwood's current overcrowding?
Jennifer Connic
9:56 am on Thursday, March 11, 2010
Sure I can, Shari.
Glenwood:
Kindergarten: 20+
First grade: 18
Second grade: 23
Third grade: 19
Fourth grade: 23
Fifth grade: 20
If there's no redistricting, there's 26 sections. If the plan was implemented, there would be 24.
Deerfield
Kindergarten: 22
First grade: 18
Second grade: 20
Third grade: 19
Fourth grade: 19
Fifth grade: 20
Number of sections with no redistricting is 23 or 24 (they're anticipating either three or four sections for kindergarten). Number of sections with Brodow's plan is 26 sections.