Darlington Poised for High Population

Darlington Elementary School has been through two sides of the rumor mill in the last 12 months.

First, there were the rumblings last year that Darlington might be closed.

Wednesday night, the Darlington community learned their elementary school could be the most densely populated, per capita, in Harford County, as proposed through the recent elementary school redistricting plan.

Darlington is currently at 61.5 percent capacity. With the preliminary proposal, Darlington would become one of five schools at more than 100 percent capacity. That figure is down from the current total of 12 schools beyond 100 percent capacity.

"This is a draft," Harford County Public Schools Manager of Communications Teri Kranefeld. said. "The goal is, by the time this plan is voted on in the end of February, that all of these numbers will be at or below 100 percent. Darlington, yes, they got more students. But they have more space."

Kranefeld said Darlington would be just six students above capacity.

The redistricting, which would take students from both Dublin and Churchville elementary schools and re-organize them into Darlington, will protect the Darlington school from the potential of being shut down.

When a school dips below 60 percent capacity, "we are required to look at consolidation plans for that school," Kranefeld said.

The proposal will be put before the Harford County Board of Education Nov. 29, and ultimately the final redistricting plan will be drawn up and approved March 1.

Visit Bel Air Patch, for on Harford County's preliminary redistricting plan.