Parents Speak Out on Troy Redistricting Plan

Photo: Troy School District Superintendent Todd Koehl addresses a crowd of parents on the district’s redistricting plan.

JOLIET, IL — The Troy schools redistricting plan is scheduled to come to a vote Feb. 17, but some parents feel that’s too short of a time frame to have their opinions taken into account.

Several parents filled the Craughwell Elementary cafeteria Tuesday night to hear about the district’s plan to address overcrowding by moving children to schools that are closer to their homes.

Troy School District 30-C Superintendent Todd Koehl said the problem began when boundaries were established and neighborhoods were assigned to schools on the basis of space available, not geographic proximity.

Among the possible solutions were adding portable classrooms, freezing building enrollments and busing students, but those plans proved to be too costly and students would lose valuable time in the busing process.

Eric Schmitz, a Joliet resident whose kids go to Hofer Elementary, was concerned about the fact that the district has been working on the plan for around two years, but parents were only hearing about it now.

“Why was this not being brought up months ago or two years ago,” Schmitz said. “Now we have a month to figure this out?”

Channahon resident Tracy Denton said he was concerned about school buses having to use the interstate to get kids to Shorewood Elementary. In the redistricting plan, some students who attend Heritage Trail will be moved to Shorewood, which would affect Denton’s children.

“My concern is you’re gonna be putting kindergarten kids, first grade kids, second and third grade on the interstate on a school bus with one driver to monitor those children as they go up and down the highway,” Denton said. “That intersection at 80 and 59 is a terrible intersection to try to put a bus through. I’m absolutely against moving my kids from Heritage Trail to Shorewood.”

One parent also advised others to watch out for kids who have been affected by the move and are having trouble making friends.

Despite the concerns, administrators wanted parents to know that the plans are not absolute and are subject to change.

“We want to see what kind of things come out of the meetings,” Koehl said.

However, for the plan to be set in motion for the next school year, a vote will be held at the Feb. 17 Board of Education meeting.

Additional meetings for parents will be held on Jan. 27 at Shorewood Elementary, Feb. 2 at Crossroads Elementary, Feb. 3 at Hofer Elementary and Feb. 4 at Heritage Trail Elementary. The meetings will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the school cafeterias. Each will consist of a presentation with maps, followed by a question and answer period.