Moving the district's 284 sixth graders from the middle school to the elementary schools is now being considered by the Katonah Lewisboro school board as part of its beleaguered budget process.

The decision to move forward with a plan to change the 20-year-old middle school must be made this fall, said Alice Cronin, assistant superintendent for instruction, who presented potential programmatic and financial considerations at the Sept. 23 school board meeting.

She said the timing was necessary for the administration to determine the move's impact on staffing, scheduling, and school traditions, such as the fifth-grade moving up day ceremonies.

The district stands to gain financially from the move: three teaching positions could potentially be eliminated, with another four cut if the teaming concept was scrapped for grades seven and eight in the reconfiguration—potential savings of over $800,000 (assuming an average salary and benefits package of $120,000 per teacher.)

Space freed up at the middle school might house the district administration, resulting in potential revenue from the sale of its current offices in South Salem. The real estate value of the Shady Lane offices would have to be determined by an appraiser, according to Michael Jumper, assistant superintendent for business.

Impact on students and programs

Cronin said that her research on grade configuration and student achievement found no overwhelming support for one over another.

"We keep coming back to these principles: education that is child-centered, interdisciplinary, and flexibly scheduled," she said. "The quality of the student experience is more important than any configuration."

Cronin outlined some positives: there would be more opportunities for parent involvement in their child's education—which typically drop off after elementary school—through the sixth grade, and younger students would have chances for interactions with older students.

Whether it would impact an individual student positively was harder to gauge, said Cronin. "Some parents say their fourth graders are ready for middle school, and others say their sixth grader is not ready. The key would be to provide certain freedoms and leadership opportunities for older students in the elementary schools."

Programmatic changes could include reorganizing the middle school health curriculum—which is currently taught over three years; adjusting world language, which currently begins at grade six, and looking at some of the special education multi-age classes.

When asked which structure she preferred, Cronin replied that she liked a K-6 or even K-8 configuration—though that might prove challenging with many teachers certified to teach K-6. But, she emphasized, "instructionally, we can deliver good program in any environment."

Next steps

The grade reorganization was first discussed this summer, after rumors surfaced about Increase Miller Elementary school closing. At the time, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Robert Roelle said that a school closing was five-to-seven years down the road, following a "substantial enrollment analysis." 

He stuck to that position last week, noting that over the last ten years, the district has lost 350 students, which "in isolation, is almost a school. But that is further down the horizon," he said.

But for this move—less complicated than a redistricting an entire elementary population—it looks like the district is out of time. With bleak forecasts for next year's budget, the board agreed to study the issue because they had to.

"Ideally we would like to take all the time to do this right, and plan and wait—but I don't think we have that luxury," said board member Eve Hundt. "We need to keep our programs intact."

Board member Mark Lipton, a proponent of foreign language study at the elementary level, suggested looking at retaining some of the positions to include world language for sixth graders.

The move may not be popular with teachers, who fought for retaining the middle school teaming model during last spring's budget development. The board restored it to their final budget.

At least one parent is against it. Ann Ricci, who spoke during the public forum, said it would affect current fifth-graders students negatively. "This will be tough on kids this year," she said. "Kids are already mentally thinking they are off to middle school."