From Staff Reports
OAKLAND — The Garrett County Board of Education voted to approve the six consolidation recommendations made by the School Attendance Area Committee. The 4-0 vote was taken during a special business session Tuesday. Matthew Paugh, associate member, wasn’t present during the meeting.
The recommendations will assign a boundary for the 2014/2015 school year to Swan Meadow Elementary School using the existing transportaion routes and will allow students currently attending Swan Meadow to continue to do so. Students who currently attend Yough Glades Elementary School will have the option of remaining there or attending Swan Meadow. The recommendations also suggest that Swan Meadow’s goal of enrolling 12 additional students be reviewed in April 2015 and that the kindergarten program at the school be implemented for the 2014/2015 school year.
An additional recommendation includes assigning the mobile modular classrooms, already approved by the board and the Garrett County commissioners, to Broad Ford Elementary School. Another recommendation includes reassigning the Glades West to Tomar Drive area to the Crellin district.
The consolidation plan has been a challenge, Jane Wildesen, supervisor of elementary education for the board and a member of the committee, said in a previous interview with the Times-News.
Bus transportation will remain as is and will not be extended to encompass any of the proposed changes for the school year. Any student who can use established routes will continue to be provided that bus service.
Crellin and Swan Meadow start and end times will be adjusted to be consistent with the remaining elementary schools in the county beginning with this school year. Parents/guardians of students who attend Crellin and Swan Meadow schools will be notified how the time change will affect their children as the school year approaches.
The consolidation plan in its entirety can be viewed at http://www.garrettcountyschools.org/news/2014/06/-board-of-education-approves-committees-recommendations.
