Schools
District 113A Subcommittee To Explore Impact of Moving Fifth-Graders Back to River Valley
A subcommittee formed during Wednesday night's District 113A board meeting will weigh the option of moving fifth-graders back to River Valley School.
—By Pat Barcas
There's little room at either school, but a subcommittee will soon issue a recommendation to the Lemont-Bromberek Combined School District 113A Board of Education on whether to move fifth grade students back to River Valley from Old Quarry Middle School.
Comprised of vice president Dave Molitor and board member Al Malley, the subcommittee was formed at Wednesday night's board meeting. They will confer with the administration about facilities during a workshop meeting Nov. 6 and come back to the board later next month with a recommendation on whether to move students back to River Valley School, or simply make more room at Old Quarry.
To follow the recommendation is completely up to the school board.
All fifth-grade classes in District 113A were moved to Old Quarry in 2011, when the board voted to close Central School. The consolidation brought on many concerns about space issues at Old Quarry, as well as the students' transition to middle school.
District 113A Superintendent Dr. Susan Birkenmaier said either option is viable, but space is tight.
“Right now at River Valley, it appears that we have zero classrooms,” she said. “We would do some consolidation and free up nine classrooms for the nine sections of fifth grade. That would put them at maximum capacity.”
Staying at Old Quarry presents similar obstacles.
“Either way we move, it sounds like we're going to have space issues at one building or the other location,” board member David Deitemyer said.
At Old Quarry, space solutions floated included a temporary space in the Learning Resource Center and staff rooms. A permanent build-up was previously decided not to be an option.
“We might be able to put temporary walls in that would give flexibility for space,” Birkenmaier said.
“Also, staff areas can be used for small work areas. The cost is minimal, less than $5,000.”
Birkenmaier said she would like to see a solid plan on whether to move or stay put by 2014.
“I think by Jan. 1, that would give us sufficient enough time to plan,” she said. “I don't think there's urgency within the next couple of weeks, but I'd like to have a plan within the next couple of months.”
Deitemyer said he wants to make sure the democratic process of the board remains intact during the decision-making process.
“I want to make sure we don't encourage the subcommittee to bring us a strong recommendation before the whole group has had a chance to ask all the questions,” he said. “I don't want the subcommittee to come to the whole board and then for some reason, we don't accept their recommendation.”
The board is expected to discuss the decision further in mid-November.
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