INFORMATION:
In April 2001 the Board of School Directors approved realigning the middle school boundary between East Hills Middle School and Broughal Middle School due to the lack of space at Broughal for the students expected to attend in September 2001. Effective September 2001 incoming sixth graders who lived in the area between Williams Street and Hayes Street began attending East Hills Middle School instead of Broughal Middle School.
In the two years since the decision to change the boundaries was made, the growth in Bethlehem Township has increased the number of students attending East Hills Middle School beyond the projections made in 2001. At the same time, the number of students projected for Broughal Middle School has decreased below the 2001 projections. As a result of both of these numbers, it is proposed that the boundary change made in 2001 be reversed. The change would be phased in over three years so those students who have already started at East Hills can remain there until they finish their middle school career.
The fifth graders (77 students) in the proposed boundary realignment area will be assigned to sixth grade at Broughal Middle School in September 2003 and remain there for their middle school career. If the fifth grader being reassigned to Broughal has a sibling at East Hills, the sibling can be assigned to Broughal beginning in the 2003-2004 school year at the parent's request. In addition, any current sixth grade student in the realigned area whose parents wish to have their child attend Broughal instead of East Hills next school year may petition for such a change. Furthermore, any grade six, grade seven, or grade eight student who moves into the target area must attend Broughal. The change would not affect the high schools since the students in the proposed area are already included in Freedom High School's attendance area.
RECOMMENDATION:
That the Board of School Directors authorizes the alteration of the following middle school boundary and the changes in student attendance as noted:
a. That the boundary that separates Broughal Middle School and East Hills Middle
School be altered from its current dividing line of Hayes Street and be moved east
to Williams Street. The realignment includes both odd and even sides of Williams
Street.
b. Parents from the realigned area who have a child entering sixth grade at Broughal
Middle School in September 2003 and who have other children attending East
Hills Middle School who are currently sixth or seventh graders will be given the
option to have their child attend Broughal Middle School beginning with the
2003-2004 school year.
c. Parents of students from the realigned area who have a sixth grade child presently
at East Hills Middle School may petition to have their child attend Broughal
Middle School beginning in the 2003-2004 school year.
d. Sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students who move into the realigned area
anytime after the end of the 2002-2003 school year must attend Broughal Middle
School for the 2003-2004 school year.
The administration's recommendations 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15a, 15b, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25 were considered together.