Parents Debate Fifth-Graders Going to Middle School

Nearly 100 parents attended a meeting Monday night at Green Elementary School to speak up about the possibility of a grade reconfiguration at three schools in east Dublin that would take effect next school year.

Superintendent Stephen Hanke addressed the crowd as the meeting began: "This is a challenging issue and there is no perfect solution."

At issue is the recommendation made at a recent school board meeting regarding grade changes to three schools. A DUSD Boundary Committee, made up of staff and parents, was convened to balance enrollment at several schools.  The district guideline for elementary enrollment is up to 650 students. Projections suggest that the number at Green will surpass that. The committee determined that changing the school boundaries was the least desirable option and instead focused on changing grade-level configurations at Green Elementary and Fallon Middle School, and Kolb Elementary, which will open for the 2011 – 2012 school year.

The committee's recommendation was as follows: Green, which is at capacity, and Kolb should become K-4 schools and Fallon would be converted from a K-8 to a 5-8 school. 

If Fallon became a 5-8 middle school, it would be the only school of that configuration in Dublin and neighboring school districts. That observation hadn't gone unnoticed by many of the parents in attendance Monday night.

"I don't want my child to be an experiment, when no one else is doing this," said one parent.  Others echoed that concern and said that more research is needed, including consulting a psychologist as to how fifth-graders might cope in this type of school setting.  Some suggested that the school district send out surveys to get parents' opinions.

The debate on the topic lasted well over an hour and a half. The meeting initially was designed to allow parents to write their questions, which would then be read aloud and answered.  However, shortly into the meeting, parents expressed a desire to ask questions rather than write them, to which Hanke agreed.  

Parents said at the heart of the grade reconfiguration idea is the question of whether fifth-graders belong in middle school.

Kathy Cherrier, whose fourth-grade daughter attends Green Elementary,  spoke about the issue at a school board meeting in August. "My daughter wants the chance to be the big kid on campus.  If she goes to middle school as a fifth-grader, she'll miss out on that."

Many parents at the meeting expressed fear for the safety of their child as a fifth-grader on campus with older students, while others commented on kids missing their fifth-grade graduation.  

School officials, including Aileen Parsons, Fallon's principal, assured parents that if fifth-graders are sent to the school, they will be separated from the upper grades and will continue to be included in enrichment programs.

Bringing portable classrooms to Green's campus was discussed, but Hanke said that it would be expensive and would not solve overcrowding at the school.  

"I know we talked about the cost of portables, but I believe there is a greater cost to children that can't be measured if they are moved to Fallon," one parent said.

 Hanke said the answers to all of the questions asked at the meeting would be posted Friday on the district's website. "We are trying to find the solution that works the best and hearing you tonight is helping that."  

The issue will be on the agenda at the school board meeting Tuesday, Sept. 28. 

"I hope that they don't vote on the issue and continue to look for more information on the topic," said parent Simon Harrison.

As the meeting concluded, Olga Margaris, who has a child in eighth grade and another in fourth grade, received applause when she said, "We should never lose sight of what is best for our kids."

Dublin Patch will continue to follow this story.  You can read a previous article on the topic here.

For additional information regarding the Boundary Committee Recommendation for Fall 2011, click here.