Superintendent to Host Focus Groups on Potential School Reconfiguration

Superintendent of Schools Mary Conway has scheduled focus group sessions in each of the town's five elementary schools to review any possible reconfiguration of the local system.

The groups were put on the calendar in response to the Board of Education this week asking for studies on two potential plans of reconfiguration.

The sessions are:

• April 16, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., Lake Street School.
• April 17, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Northeast School.
• April 18, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Maple Street School.
• April 19, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Center Road School.
• April 24, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Skinner Road School.

The sessions will feature an overview, questions and answers and opportunity for comment, Conway said in a letter to parents dated April 4.

The annual town budget meeting is also scheduled for April 24, but at 7 p.m. at Rockville High School. 

Conway said any plan must benefit learning before anything else.

Here is one possibility for reconfiguration:

• Three pre-k through grade 2 schools housing 1,015 students - Lake Street, Skinner Road and Northeast schools.

• Two schools - Center Road and Maple Street - for grades 3, 4 and 5, a total of 766 students.

The other option includes:

• A single pre-K and kindergarten school with 449 students - Maple Street.

• Three schools for grades 1 through 3 - 818 students - at Lake Street, Skinner Road and Northeast schools.

• One grade 4 and 5 school - Center Road.

At first glance, reconfiguration may not be the most popular choice.

In a Vernon Patch poll that has no been posted for two days, 133 people voted as of 11:45 p.m. on Wednesday. A total of 93 voters said forget about reconfiguration and concentrate on academic reform.