Two Wheaton Warrenville School District 200 school members said they would support a plan to allow students affected by a redistricting proposal to finish their time at Franklin Middle School rather than transferring to Monroe Middle School next year to relieve overcrowding.
School board President Rosemary Swanson and board secretary Ken Knicker said at the board’s meeting on Wednesday night they would support the idea, which came as an alternative from district officials to their original idea to relieve overcrowding at Franklin: to move 30 students in sixth, seventh and eighth grades from certain neighborhoods to Monroe Middle School next year.
The plan affects students who live in the Parkway Commons South apartment complex and those who live north of Geneva Road and south of Tubeway Drive or west of Schmale Road and east of Gary Avenue.
Under the alternate plan, which seems to be gaining support, the current students at Franklin would finish their time at that school, though the district would not provide transportation.
Other board members who shared their thoughts on the proposal Wednesday said whatever decision they make next month on the issue will be difficult for at least a portion of district families. Board member Andrew Johnson said the issue is the “hardest thing we’ve ever had to do” in several years.
Still, some of the 10 parents who addressed the board about their concerns Wednesday also supported the plan to let current students finish at Franklin.
“Monroe’s a great school too, we just want to stay where we are now,” said Kary Wellen, whose daughter, Bailey, is in seventh grade at Franklin. Bailey Wellen told the board Wednesday she supports the three-year implementation plan so that she can stay at Franklin with her friends until she graduates eighth grade.
But some parents were still concerned about what they said is the district’s rushed process for dealing with the overcrowded school. Parent Karen Vuolo, who has a fifth-grader in the district who would have to attend Monroe instead of Franklin next year, said she would prefer the district seek a plan that would allow all the kids from a neighborhood start school together in kindergarten and stay together through high school.
“There’s a chance that he’ll know no one” at Monroe Middle School next year, she said about her son.
The board is expected to take action on this issue at a March meeting.
In January, district officials said enrollment at Franklin has grown from 709 students in 2007 to 780 students this year, which is leaving the school with limited space to accommodate all students. The district estimates enrollment will grow to 822 by the 2014-15 school year, while Monroe’s current enrollment is at 712 and can more easily accommodate more than 800 students, according to district documents.
