@> Mom15, I believe Option 2 reduces Bird's district by about 20% (area wise). Probably 70-100 kids. Bird will be full but not overflowing like it would be in all the other plans.

I couldn't agree with you more Robert!

My concern is that we move our kids in the Foxcreek/Pickwick subs from Allen to Husling now, and two years down the road the board realizes that they need to close another school. They close Gallimore and our kids are booted out of Hulsing to make room for the Gallimore kids. How can we make sure this scenario doesn't happen?

Thank you, I agree that moving half of Allen out is a problem. But there 400 Fiegel kids we have to make room for. According to our old pricipal, the district has wanted a title one school at Allen for years to get additional funding. It's all about the money.

Nancy, I don't know why you are so against TAG. You have made several posts on several articles against it. The first was about closing Gallimore for TAG. Gallimore is not closing now. The new proposals offer the expansion of 4 classes at Dodson which will still have many classrooms empty. That really isn't a big expansion. If it is all about TAG then they would expand it even more. I think we need to expand it. We are losing children to charter schools and need to look at this seriously or we may have more schools closing. I personally think TAG is a great program and have my son being tested now. I hope he makes it to the next level. I believe he and the other TAG students have the right to learn at a higher level. My son is not currently being pushed to his full potential. He has excelled in certain areas and yet in class he is not being taught at his next level. He has to remain with the rest of the class. I thought we all want a higher education for our children and if some children excel why not give them a better opportunity. We give the children that struggle opportunities with interventional teachers and funding. Does my child not have the right to learn as well, even if it is more advanced? I personally am glad that two schools did not close. I would think you would rather see empty class rooms used even for TAG than empty ones which would justify another closure. Look at it for the other side.

I think all PRA's should be on hold for a year. If the district is going to draw bounderies student should have to try the school they are assigned too. This is crazy your kid will be fine at a new school. Why shoud your kids be the exception.

An excellent example of embracing the change and teaching your child that sometimes change occurs and sometimes we must accept those things which can not be changed. I applaud you for the way you have handled this. Kids survive and will survive no matter what. Embracing the change will only make them stronger and able to be quick on their feet when they get to High School and Real Life. You are one outstanding parent, keep up the positive energy. We need it in this community.

As was stated at one of the meetings. The kids will react to these changes the way their parents do.

@Dennis - well said! I hope the board and administration will answer these questions. I'm having a hard time believing that there isn't some sort of agenda to dismantle Allen as it is now. They seem to be focused on presenting multiple boundary options to relieve overcrowding at Bird, Smith and Isbister but are only prepared to present 1 for redistributing Fiegel students. I find it interesting that it was proposed to redistribute the Gallimore population over 4 schools had it closed, but redistribution of Fiegel students has always been proposed only to 2 schools - displacing half of Allen's population.

I agree with you Dennis that it is hard to see a neighborhood that has been with Allen for over 25 years be moved to Hulsing. The children at Fiegel have been together for many years as well. The northern Fiegel children are being split from their classmates that are in the southern end of the district. If we split the northern Fiegel population again between Hulsing and Allen there is a possibility that some of these kids would not recognize many faces in their classroom or school next year. This would make it even more difficult for them to successfully transition as we right-size our schools.

@Maddiex - My theory: the administration wants to dismantle Allen (because its proximity to Fiegel) to keep the preponderance of Fiegel Title 1 students together creating a Title 1 school.

Quote from http://www.brighthubeducation.com/teaching-methods-tips/11105-basics-of-title-1-funds/

The basic principles of Title 1 state that schools with large concentrations of low-income students will receive supplemental funds to assist in meeting student’s educational goals. Low-income students are determined by the number of students enrolled in the free and reduced lunch program. For an entire school to qualify for Title 1 funds, at least 40% of students must enroll in the free and reduced lunch program. END

That's supplemental funds beyond the funding received for individual Title 1 students.

I couldn't grasp why a presentation a few weeks back tracked free/reduced lunches at schools in the east. Now I see they were trying to manipulate population to reach a Title 1 school classification.

Gallimore's proposal included redistribution of students over 4 schools. Briefly, it was proposed to redistribute Fiegel students to 3 schools, but redistribution into 2 schools is more common. Other current proposals relieve overdrowding. In Allen's case, half of the current population is being told to go elsewhere so that the northern Fiegel population is left together.

Why won't they come right out and say they want to dismantle current Allen to create a Title 1 school?

@PCCS Mom - do you realize that the Allen students who would be moving are not necessarily going to see many familiar faces at their new school (they are losing daily contact with a large portion of their current friends as well)? I would hope that you don't really mean to imply that somehow their change is less traumatic, or should leave their parents less worried than the Fiegel parents.

DownUpside1, it was not my intention to imply that this change will be less traumatic for a child that attends Allen. The children from both schools will be impacted by redistricting equally. It isn’t as simple as dividing the Fiegel kids and placing them in open seats across our district. As you pointed out, all children need and deserve equal consideration when the school boundaries are redrawn and each parent will worry about how well their child will adapt. Regardless of the board’s decision, I wish nothing but the best for your family.

I totally agree. I am not a low income family and my kids have both used title one assistance in PCCS. One for speech and one for reading. This is not a problem that will affect the other kids. It is not a disease. They get one on one help and they are not a problem to the teacher or the class. This stigma of title one kids is not what everyone is making it out to be. These are just kids and they are not going to bring a school down.

I am not against Title 1 schools. I am not against the district creating a Title 1 school. I am against the administration not informing us of their intention to do it. Why shouldn't this kind of a decision be open to public comment?

The problem is that we (at Allen) pitch in a bit extra to help out those who need help. When you upset the balance that we have we will no longer be able to do that. It is not my understanding that Title 1 funds can be used for boxes of tissues, pencils, field trips and the like. It is more for literacy programs. Additionally, you should probably know that in preparation of turning Allen into a Title 1 school, our new principal has started new rules already - until recently our kids lost the recess if they high 5'd their friend. If it will be so wonderful - fill out a parent request form to join us!

Maddiex - It's so wonderful that you have soldiers and senior citizens at your elementary school! I had no idea and am truely amazed - Oh wait I looked at your previous posts and noticed that your kids aren't even in elementary school their in high school, yet you post nasty replies to anyone who tries to make a point. Do you work for the school board or the district? I don't think you'll win many people over with your constant name calling and off topic replies. Do you have an informative answer to our school's new no touching policy? Personally, it makes me sad. I can't wait to hear what you think. I'm sure you'll answer.

Allen is not a full Title 1 school. Anything over 40% of the population qualifing for free or reduced lunch makes your school full Title 1. The board has already stated that they do not want Allen being a full Title 1, but their actions have failed to prove otherwise. Hey Maddiex if being a full Title 1 like Allen will be is so great, why arent any Bird families using school of choice and moving into Allen, or in the past Fiegel, when their school is over capacity??? I already have proved you wrong twice now, should you keep talking or is it time to shut it down.

I agree with Frank. Fiegel's PTO tries to schedule events for students and families. They have to cancel more than they hold because of lack of parent volunteers.

Let me be very clear. I am not sying that no Fiegel parents volunteer. I am saying that not enough volunteer for many of the events that the PTO wants to schedule.

A dominant culture of "I don't have the time" or "I don't want to make the time." has a HUGE impact on opportunities.

The proposed changes to Allen remove a large amount of parents involved in the Allen PTO and fundraisers to replace them with a group of parents who have shown over the years that they would prefer (shown overall - not 100%) not to be involved. That is the biggest reason why I bellieve it would be in everyone's best interest to divide the Fiegel students among more than 2 schools - insert them into existing populations instead of insisting they remain more or less in the same population that has a proven track record of low parental involvment.

Fiegel has a high population of kids whose parents are gone when they leave for school and not there when they get home. Many are on their own to make it on time to school, which doesnt happen ever often.

Low income, low involvement and low test scores....yep just like every other school in the district. I cant wait to rub these posts everyones faces when its the Allen kids no one wants. Because its going to be Allen to close next.