Published: May 10, 2006 10:51 am            

Task force makes final report

Correction (printed on page 2A of Thursday's Herald):

The new Clinton School District boundaries will go into effect in the 2007-2008 school year, not next year as was reported in Wednesday’s edition. Earlier boundary discussions focused on the possibility of implementing the change as soon as the fall of 2006. The Herald regrets this error. The school board will make a final decision on the boundaries at its June 12 meeting as stated in the story.





CLINTON — A small group of Clinton students could be attending different schools when classes resume next fall.

Because attendance boundaries have not been changed in more than 10 years and with the construction of the two new elementary schools, the Clinton School Board established a task force in February 2005 to make recommendations regarding any necessary changes to the existing elementary and middle school attendance boundaries.

Brian Angwin, chairman of the 27-member task force, presented those recommendations to the school board Monday.

Angwin, a former school board member, said community members had several ways of providing input into several options developed by the committee, including viewing the options on the school district’s Web site or attending one of two public forums.

“We received a lot of feedback through that part of the process,” Angwin explained.

According to Angwin, 28 percent of Clinton students currently do not attend school in their home district.

“With the construction of the new schools, you have the capacity in the elementary grades to have a total of 15 sections,” Angwin said. “Currently you’re operating at 13 1/2 sections. Our recommendations is to more forward with 14 sections.”

Angwin said if the board decides to go with 13 sections the schools would be at 100 percent capacity all the time with no room for growth or changes.

Fifteen sections would bring the utilization of the buildings down to less than 85 percent.

“As we looked at the feedback we received… our recommendations are based on using Jefferson as a three-section building and utilizing the new north-end (school) as a four-section building.

In regard to middle school students, Angwin said the Lyons boundary would move south a little bit.

Angwin also said the recommendations would result in little change in busing, just a realignment of resources.

According to School Superintendent Randy Clegg the option chosen will affect the least number of students and the biggest change will be in the Whittier district, which will almost double in land size. Whittier and Jefferson will be three-section schools and Bluff and the new north-end elementary will be four-section schools.

Final action on the recommendation of the task force will take place at the June 12 school board meeting.

        

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