TAC members discuss issues.

The members of Portsmouth's school Transition Advisory Committee (TAC) spent the majority of last night's meeting in breakout groups, discussing the key issues around reassigning K-3 students and planning for the grade 4-5 experience at the middle school.

The group's guiding principle for the middle school is "keep 4th grade elementary," and the report backs included several strategies to achieve that aim. Recess was identified as "an important part of the experience," and the group suggested that in addition to the planned foursquare and basketball, the existing Elmhurst outdoor equipment lockers be moved to the middle school to provide some storage for teachers. In terms of scheduling, middle school principal Joe Amaral promised to do whatever he could. "I'm willing to work with teachers on anything that makes sense for students," he said.

In terms of whole-school activities, the group recommended "being as inclusive as possible for school identity, but using common sense." So while the 4th grade will have their own separate space (including 4th-grade only boys and girls bathrooms) they may be included in appropriate all-school assemblies, and the student council may have a 4th grade rep. Yet to be determined is which after-school activities would be available for the younger students. "It's probably going to be parent-led," was one observation, and that will become clearer as the PTO begins to come together after June 10th (when all elementary parents whose children are moving to PMS will meet.)

There was some apprehension about the increased drop-off and dismissal that may occur, given the current pattern at the elementaries (Hathaway, it was noted, can see 50-80 parents picking up children on some days.) The middle school typically has less than 10, and one recommendation was to explore staging kids out through the Little Theater, which is closer to the main parking lot.

The group discussing communications reiterated the importance of multiple ways to reach parents, beginning with the key date of June 4, the target date for determining the "district" boundaries and school assignments. In addition to posting on the schools' and district web sites, the group talked about getting something into local newspapers with maps. Also discussed: using the district's "AlertNow" phone system to tell parents when the plan is available, as well as setting up a voice mail box for questions about the transition.

While there was substantial continuing discussion about the district boundaries, the initial results from the bus company were not yet available (finance director Mark Dunham thought they might have them later today) so the plan remains incomplete. There was a lot of back-and-forth about whether you "take both sides of a street" when running a bus, keeping culs-de-sac together, and the notion that Portsmouth thinks in terms of "farms" rather than streets. One staff member noted that when Elmhurst redistricted to exclude Middle Road, it took nine years because people were grandfathered in. "Literally, if you were pregnant when we made the decision, you got to stay," they said. Based on the discussion that followed, this transition, while it might have room for one-off flexibility, would not have that level of accomodation.

There were some questions from the group in the final minutes of the meeting, and one parent raised concerns around the ongoing appeal which would prevent Elmhurst's closing. "What if, for some reason, the Commissioner decides for the parents?" Supt. Lusi admitted that this was a possibility, however, she characterized it as "extremely small."

Resources
TAC Minutes and documents on PSD web site