Some Youths Benefit: 'Final' Elementary Draft Sends More Students to Original Schools

The Superintendent's Technical Advisory Committee revealed what has been dubbed as the "Final Proposed Elementary Redistricting Map" boundaries at a board work session Monday night. 

"It is tonight that the proposal officially becomes yours," Superintendent Robert Tomback said to the board. "You are scheduled to conduct a final public hearing on February 14, 2011 and to adopt the plan at the February 28, 2011 business meeting."

Chief of Administration Joseph Licata presented STAC's final recommendations to the board, including updates to the , as well as costs associated with grandfathering. 

The updated maps show changes to the boundaries for the Fountain Green Elementary School and Youth's Benefit Elementary School districts. 

A portion of the Fountain Green district that was slated to go to Churchville Elementary School is now reversed. Most of that is farmland, according to Licata, but there are approximately seven students along Wheel Road that are proposed to be sent back to their original school. 

"We kept them in Fountain Green, instead of moving them to Churchville," Licata said. 

STAC also recommended a change to the Youth's Benefit district that would allow approximately 38 students to stay in that district instead of being moved to Jarrettsville Elementary School. 

The proposal would move the Youth's Benefit boundary line to include parcels to the southeast side of Baldwin Mill Road and to the south of Putnam Road. However, this change was not enough for board member Thomas Evans, who requested that the plan consider keeping the Franklin's Chance development at Youth's Benefit as well. 

Evans also requested information about the logistics of maintaining portable classrooms as a viable solution to capacity problems, not just in Fallston, but in elementary schools throughout the county. 

"They were supposed to be a temporary measure," Licata said. "So, obviously, if we have an opportunity to reduce the capacity of a building so that we don't have to use relocatables, we would make that recommendation."

With projected capacity numbers below 100 percent, Licata said portable classrooms will no longer be used for instruction, but may remain on campuses as storage facilities or for other uses. Plans to demolish or relocate the buildings have not been made, he added.  

Licata also reported that costs for grandfathering the estimated 345–400 fifth graders in the plan is projected between $130,000 to $160,000. That range does not include grandfathering siblings of those fifth graders. 

"We most certainly would need to add buses, which we don't have right now," he said. "I would say we would not recommend a sibling option."

The board will hold a final public hearing for redistricting on Feb. 14 in the at 7:30 p.m., following a business meeting at 5 p.m.

The board is scheduled to vote on the plan at the business meeting on Feb. 28 at 6:30 p.m. Public comment will be accepted at that meeting as well.