Elementary School Reorganization Background Information

During the 2007-2008 school year, the Amherst Schools Organization Committee (ASOC) was formed to study the issues surrounding configuration of our four elementary schools. This committe included teachers, parents from each elementary school, administrators, and a School Committee liaison.  The committee submitted a report to the Amherst School Committee.

At its January 13th meeting, the Amherst school committee asked the administration for details on four options for responding to next year's projected budget gap:  (1) making significant cuts to the current configuration, (2) pairing Crocker Farm/Fort River and Mark's Meadow/Wildwood, (3) closing Mark's Meadow and redistricting studentsamong the three other schools, and (4) making Wildwood a 5th/6th grade school for all Amherst students and redistricting K-4 students among the other three schools.  Amherst school committee chair Andy Churchill distributed a preliminary description of the four options (Numerical Comparison of Elementary Organization Options (pdf)), two of which (options 2 and 4) emerged from a subcommittee on equity and educational benefits of reorganization that met in the 07-08 school year.

Also at the January 13 meeting of the Amherst School Committee, Interim Superintendents Helen Vivian and Alton Sprague presented a report recommending that elementary restructuring not be pursued this year.

The Amherst School Committee met again on February 10 to discuss proposed adds and cuts to the elementary school budget for next year. The meeting also included the examination of several different restructuring scenarios, to compare potential cost savings.

At their March 17th meeting, the Amherst School Committee made a motion to close Marks Meadow Elementary School at the end of the 2009-2010 school year and redistrict to create three elementary schools with proportionate numbers of children on free/reduced lunch for the start of the 2010-2011 school year. 

Five public meetings were scheduled to provide the community with opportunities to hear more about the educational and budgetary impact of redistricting, as well as to ask questions and provide feedback.  School administrators presented enrollment data and redistricting maps as part of a 3-school reorganization plan.

The Amherst School Committee voted on the redistricting motion at the regular meeting on Tuesday, May 19th.  The motion passed unanimously