Re-zoning?

spontaneous said:
One person I know switched their child's school partway through the year.  This child in question was coming home in tears every day, but wasn't able to verbalize what the issue was as they were a younger student.  The BOE resisted, but finally relented.  The child in question was much happier after the switch.

Allowances also need to be made when a placement causes a hardship.  A friend had children in two different elementary schools, not by choice.  The issue was that both schools start at the same exact time, AND they were not eligible for busing for either school.  With traffic in town as it is, it was impossible for both children to be dropped off on time, one would be late.  The family in question was not in the financial position to afford a nanny or other hired help as suggested by the BOE to get the children to school, it was up to the parent to do it on their own.  The school principal eventually threatened that if their child was continually dropped off late they would be referred to CPS.  They had to get the BOE to intervene, but still got flack from the principal.  It got to the point where the BOE couldn't get the principal to back off and finally acknowledged that not every SOMa parent can afford hired help, so they approved a transfer so that both children would be in the same school.

 But now the plan is to have kids go to 4 schools rather than 3? How does this help parents economically ?  The financial hardship of getting kids to school will fall on the parents! Busing will be cut unless mandatory! 

spontaneous said:
One person I know switched their child's school partway through the year.  This child in question was coming home in tears every day, but wasn't able to verbalize what the issue was as they were a younger student.  The BOE resisted, but finally relented.  The child in question was much happier after the switch.

Allowances also need to be made when a placement causes a hardship.  A friend had children in two different elementary schools, not by choice.  The issue was that both schools start at the same exact time, AND they were not eligible for busing for either school.  With traffic in town as it is, it was impossible for both children to be dropped off on time, one would be late.  The family in question was not in the financial position to afford a nanny or other hired help as suggested by the BOE to get the children to school, it was up to the parent to do it on their own.  The school principal eventually threatened that if their child was continually dropped off late they would be referred to CPS.  They had to get the BOE to intervene, but still got flack from the principal.  It got to the point where the BOE couldn't get the principal to back off and finally acknowledged that not every SOMa parent can afford hired help, so they approved a transfer so that both children would be in the same school.

 But now the plan is to have kids go to 4 schools rather than 3? How does this help parents economically ?  The financial hardship of getting kids to school will fall on the parents! Busing will be cut unless mandatory! 

My point was in regards to someone saying that other than the SB opt in, parents should not be allowed to request a school other than their zoned school. I was simply trying to show that there needs to be some flexibility in policy.  This has nothing to do with four schools vs three

Tall_Mocha: just curious - what's your beef with Clinton?  My grandson transferred in after moving from another school district and had a fine experience.   Likewise with my neighbors' kids.

spontaneous said:
One person I know switched their child's school partway through the year.  This child in question was coming home in tears every day, but wasn't able to verbalize what the issue was as they were a younger student.  The BOE resisted, but finally relented.  The child in question was much happier after the switch.

Allowances also need to be made when a placement causes a hardship.  A friend had children in two different elementary schools, not by choice.  The issue was that both schools start at the same exact time, AND they were not eligible for busing for either school.  With traffic in town as it is, it was impossible for both children to be dropped off on time, one would be late.  The family in question was not in the financial position to afford a nanny or other hired help as suggested by the BOE to get the children to school, it was up to the parent to do it on their own.  The school principal eventually threatened that if their child was continually dropped off late they would be referred to CPS.  They had to get the BOE to intervene, but still got flack from the principal.  It got to the point where the BOE couldn't get the principal to back off and finally acknowledged that not every SOMa parent can afford hired help, so they approved a transfer so that both children would be in the same school.

 What an ugly, ugly situation. We ask for compassion on the macro scale (border separation, etc.) and on the local level a family was put through this? oh that makes me mad!

Tall_Mocha said:

sprout said:
To clarify: your child has been an opt-in student at SB for previous year(s) -- and this wasn't a first year opt-in request?

 No, she would be starting her 3rd year at Seth Boyden

 So for the last two years you’ve opted into SB from Tuscan, but this year that request was declined for whatever reason and now you’re being sent to Clinton vs back to your zoned school (Tuscan)?  This makes no sense.  

I’d be very surprised to learn that SB was oversubscribed and/or that they’ve started to decline opt-ins after all the ballyhooing over their decline.  I mean, for all intents and purposes it seems like SB’s status as a magnet of sorts is to disappear with the new plan—whatever it is—but that’s not even inked yet and can’t imagine would have any bearing.  Couldn’t the race of your child be a factor?  I can’t think of any reason that makes sense otherwise.  

ElizMcCord said:
Sounds crowded. What’s the average elementary class size to teacher ratio? 23:1?

 The class size guideline varies with the grade level.  But I believe they are allowed to push it slightly and still be within policy.

So we are having the opposite problem.  We have an incoming kindergartner and are zoned for Clinton - registered during early registration but got a letter saying we were going to Boyden.  We've spent a month trying to get answers from Dr. Morgan, who claims every other school in the district is closed but Boyden and that we have no other options.  Wish we were same year and could switch places.  For those who said they heard other schools have openings, please clarify.  We have reached out to every member of the board, Dr. Morgan and Dr. Ficarro many times and can't get any answers.