Some Batavia school members question transfers

Batavia Elementary school board members questioned an elementary school boundary plan presented by administrators on Tuesday night.

A change that would involve moving students from McWayne to Gustafson and students from White to Nelson was presented to the board by Alan McCloud, assistant superintendent for elementary education.

Several board members said the district needs to make a long-term plan for elementary boundaries.

"We're doing this every two years," said board President Ron Link to audience applause. "There's too much disruption."

As part of a $75 million building referendum approved last year, McWayne Elementary School will get three new classrooms and Gustafson will get one. But McWayne has the most open area of any school in the district that can be developed, McCloud said. It also needs to use one of its new rooms for the music program, which has been on a cart for four years, he said.

His proposal included moving 52 students who live east of Randall Road between Main and Wilson streets from McWayne to Gustafson.

While most board members said that seemed to be a common sense decision, several took issue with boundary changes on the east side of the Fox River.

Under the plan, 33 students who live in the AMLI apartments east of Kirk Road would move from White to Nelson. Nelson has four classroom spaces that are being used for programs but not entire classes, McCloud said.

The new development behind the Wal-Mart at Kirk and Butterfield roads would go to Nelson under the proposal.

Superintendent Jack Barshinger said the district should not include undeveloped property on its boundary map and to assign those areas to schools when they are developed.

"It stops any developer from making a promise that we can't deliver," he said.

The school board plans to discuss the issue more at its Feb. 26 meeting, and could vote on a plan at its March 18 meeting.

The report is available on the district's Web site, www.bps101.net.