PUBLIC VIEWPOINT: Keep Elmwood Team Intact, Strong

As a parent of two Elmwood students, I have given much thought to the boundary proposal and how it will affect my children and my children’s school. Westside families will not be the only ones affected.

Has anyone thought of how this change will aff ect Elmwood’s teachers and staff? I am sure they have, but you will not hear them complain or voice their opinions. They are professionals and have worked hard to build Elmwood into one of the best middle schools in the state.

With so many under-performing schools, isn’t it great to see a school in our community (and we have several) doing so well? Why break up this successful team?

If we take student population from Elmwood, jobs will likely be dissolved and teachers will be uprooted because of fewer students. Let’s think this through.

According to a chart on the Rogers Public Schools website, the Boundary Committee’s Proposal states that enrollment for Elmwood would be 214-253 students less than any of the other middle schools in Rogers for the 2013-14 school year. Oakdale would have 864 students, and Elmwood would only have 611 students (grandfathering not accounted). This would be a drastic change that could and should be more gradual.

If Westside stayed zoned for Elmwood until Darr Elementary grew enough to replace the students, that would keep the established Elmwood team intact and on a roll.

That would also give the Westside families time to process the change and decide where they want to go to school.

There is time, and this change does not have to be rushed. Let us all consider what is best for Rogers, its families, its students and its teachers.

KELLY THORNELL

Rogers

Opinion, Pages 5 on 02/27/2013

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