Elaine Blaisdell Cumberland Times-News
OAKLAND — In addition to calling for the closing of several elementary schools, the Garrett County Board of Education’s five-year plan outlines the reconfiguration of fifth-grade students into middle schools. The reconfiguration is being considered because of reduced space, staff and “related arts,” according to Sue Waggoner, interim superintendent of schools.
“The reconfiguration will provide the maximum effective use of staff and space while providing students optimum educational programing,” said Waggoner. “The reconfiguration will afford fifth-graders the opportunity to participate in foreign language, tech education classes and allow them to experience more than they have at the elementary school.”
A presentation on the reconfiguration will be held Tuesday at 8 p.m. at Southern Middle School. After the presentation, the board will take public comment followed by possible action on the recommendation.
Rebecca Gordon, a Finzel resident whose child is a fourth-grader at Route 40 Elementary, attended the Jan. 10 board meeting and questioned if the board had done any research on how the reconfiguration would impact the fifth graders academically and behaviorally. Gordon said that she wasn’t provided with an answer.
Fifth- and sixth-graders would be on a separate lunch schedule from the other grade levels, so there would be no interaction with the older students, explained Waggoner. They would also have pods to separate them from the rest of the grade levels.
Gordon noted that studies done by Harvard, Duke and Johns Hopkins universities indicate that students fare better if they are left in a kindergarten-through-eighth-grade setting.
In her research, Gordon did come across a study where the reconfiguration was completely successful, but she noted that at this school the fifth-graders were in a different building than the rest of the middle-schoolers.
“We just don’t have the resources to do that,” said Gordon, noting that it would be impossible to separate the students completely while they are in the same building.
Gordon suggests that elementary schools remain open as kindergarten through eighth grade.
Many parents who attended the January board meeting were concerned about bullying, according to Gordon.
“There is bullying going on now in the middle school. In fifth grade, kids still have SpongeBob lunch boxes and they are going to go to the middle school and get made fun of,” said Gordon.
Other concerns of Gordon’s include the lunch schedule and the fact that fifth-graders are going to be riding the bus with eighth-graders.
“I’m also concerned with the fact that there is no recess, especially with obesity rates climbing,” said Gordon.
The fifth-graders will be eating lunch at 10:50 a.m. with no snack, according to Gordon. In her child’s case, that means an extra hour wait to eat because of the hour-long bus ride from school to home.
“This will mean bigger class sizes, loss of jobs and a lot of disruption to our kids,” states a petition started by Elizabeth Hebden to stop the closing of Dennett Road Elementary.
“I feel it is unreasonable to send fifth-graders to the middle school, they will miss out on experiences of being the fifth-graders,” wrote Michelle Riggleman on the online petition.
Gordon also opposes the Dennett Road Elementary closing.
“I understand that Kitzmiller and Friendsville schools need to close because the numbers are just not there. But the numbers for the Dennett school are there,” said Gordon.
Hebden, an Oakland resident, started a petition on Change.Org to keep the school open and she opposes the reconfiguration. With 511 signatures so far, the petition appeals to the board, county commissioners, Gov. Martin O’Malley, the state Senate and House of Delegates, Delegate Wendell Beitzel and Sen. George Edwards to keep the school from closing.
Gordon is encouraging everyone to attend Tuesday’s meeting.
“I’m asking that every parent, grandparent, aunt and uncle please attend this meeting. It’s affecting our children’s future,” said Gordon, who plans on speaking at the meeting. “I want my children to have a voice.”
For more information on the petition, visit the website http://www.change.org/petitions/the-governor-of-md-keep-dennett-road-elementary-school-open-and-pk-5.
Contact Elaine Blaisdell at eblaisdell@times-news.com.
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