Plan Puts Grades 2-6 Together

A plan that would keep students in one school for five years was presented to the School Committee last night.

Superintendent of Schools Jay Cummings presented a new reorganization plan that he recommends when the new Grafton High School opens in September 2012.

He suggests that the schools be organized as follows:

Two schools for pre-K, kindergarten and grade one students at the current and

Grades 2-6 in two schools, the current and

Grades 7 and 8 at the current Grafton High School.

Grades 9-12 at the new

This changes the current plan, which would put students in grades 2, 3 and 4 in one building and grades 5 and 6 in another.

Cummings said his plan reduces the number of transitions that students have to undergo. He pointed out that numerous studies have shown that transitions are stressful to students and present educational and personal challenges for youngsters.

He also said that having students spend just two years in one school can make it “incredibly challenging for staff to really know those students inside and out.’’

The current reorganization plan requires students to make three school transitions between the ages of 10 and 15.

Committee members praised Cummings for changing the current plan, rather than taking what they described as the easy route of accepting the status quo.

Committee member Teri Turgeon said that this is what Cummings was hired to do: To put students first.

Committee members raised concerns about the financial impact of these changes, especially in light of the cost of the new high school.

Cummings said the major expenses would be converting bathrooms for elementary school children and adding playgrounds.

Committee members are expected to vote on the plan at the Oct. 11 meeting.

In the meantime, a series of meetings will be held to seek public input on this proposal. More details on these meetings are expected sometime today.