Schools
Scott: Administration Evaluating Other Space Crunch Options for District
Last week, unhappy parents presented a petition with more than 500 signatures to the School Committee and Scott asking the administration to come up with another plan.
Although Framingham Superintendent of Schools Stacy Scott is in China on a cultural and educational exchange program until Thursday, Nov. 14, his administration sent home a letter to parents indicating the administration is reviewing other options, beyond Scott's Project LEAP, to deal with a space crunch at the elementary school level.
"We have heard a great deal of feedback about our LEAP proposal and value your input in this process. We continue to evaluate each question and proposal as it comes in," wrote Scott in a Nov. 12 letter to parents. "In some cases, we have double and tripled checked each possibility for its feasibility."
Project LEAP calls for moving 25 percent of the town's fifth graders students to the middle school level. Specifically, fifth grade students at Brophy Elementary and McCarthy Elementary would attend Fuller Middle School, scheduled to be renovated in the near future. Part two of Project LEAP is opening the community's ninth elementary school at the current King Administration Building.
Last week, unhappy parents presented a petition with more than 500 signatures to the School Committee and Scott asking the administration to come up with another plan.
Framingham School Administration is reviewing the following options:
- Establish King as a K-5 school with rezoning
- Adding modular units to Barbieri and Dunning Elementary Schools
- Adding additional modular units to Brophy and Hemenway Elementary Schools
- Establishing King as a Kindergarten Center for Brophy and McCarthy Elementary Schools and for any overflow of students
- Establishing Fuller as an elementary school; Brophy and McCarthy become middle schools
- Fill all elementary schools to their maximum
- Move Brophy and McCarthy Elementary School fifth graders to Fuller
"As part of our evaluation, we are reviewing which option minimizes the pain factor for staff and families, allows for feeder patterns to work, accommodates growth over five years, promotes school balancing, aligns with the option of a K-8 school, ensures what is in the best interest of children, releases pressure on district elementary schools and minimizes the associated cost.," wrote Scott in a letter dated Tuesday, Nov. 12.
"This is a work in progress and we appreciate your suggestions and patience as we go through this process. Each child’s educational experience is important to us and we will try to avoid disruption as best we can," wrote Scott. "We continue to welcome all input and ideas during this dialogue."
Framingham Patch was the first media outlet to report on Scott's proposed Project LEAP.
Note: First published at 3 a.m. Updated to fix typo.
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