The Middletown City Schools Board of Education approved plans Monday for a redistricting project for next school year.
The school board voted unanimously to reconfigure Middletown's elementary schools, change attendance boundaries, and move the district's 6th graders out of a 6th grade-specific building and into neighborhood elementary schools.
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Middletown Schools says the plan was presented to optimize the use of district facilities and will impact eight schools next fall. Superintendent Deborah Houser describes the redistricting plan as a win-win.
"The goal was really our 5th-graders remaining in their elementary buildings and we've been able to do that with this plan," she said during Monday's meeting. "And we've been able to do that with minimal movement with our students."
The plan was one of four options presented to the school community. Middletown says the community feedback it received showed strong support for the option approved this week.
The changing attendance boundaries would move close to 150 students from Mayfield Elementary to Creekview Elementary or Miller Ridge Elementary. Students at Central Academy Elementary will move into Middletown's Highview building, which currently is the district's 6th grade-only school. The district's Early Learning Center classrooms will move to the current Central Academy building. Any overflow from the Early Learning Center will move to Rosa Parks Elementary. Students in 5th grade will stay put at their neighborhood elementary schools instead of transitioning to the 6th grade school.
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Middletown says the moves will have minimal impact on transportation and ultimately save the district money while still maintaining its current educational programs. Board President Chris Urso says it's a smart move for the school system.
"Fiscally, we're trying to be mindful of using our taxpayer's dollars to the best of our abilities and I know this is a huge cost savings for our district without reducing the services and opportunities for our young people," he said.
The plan will be implemented for the 2025-2026 school year.
