• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Redistricting Gets Narrow OK: Grade-Schoolers in Plymouth-Canton to Move This Fall

Posted on: Friday, 12 May 2006, 06:08 CDT

By Naomi R. Patton, Detroit Free Press

May 12--Isbister Elementary School officials have been busy hosting parents of future students. The Plymouth school is one of several affected by a redistricting plan approved by the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools board.

The plan, which affects more than 900 students and several elementary schools, was formally approved by a 4-3 vote Tuesday. The P-CCS Housing Committee presented the plan to ease overcrowding to the board in April.

Parents, who did not want their children moved from their neighborhood school, opposed the plan. But P-CCS officials said they had little choice.

"It's a tough decision," said board member Barry Simescu, who voted for the plan.

The plan targets five overcrowded elementary schools in Canton and Plymouth Township, though students at 11 elementary schools will be affected. Students in middle school and high schools are not included in the redistricting. The committee recommendations were based on where the students live.

-- At Workman: Some of the students at Miller (43721 Hanford Road, Canton), Bentley (1100 Sheldon Road, Canton), Hulsing (8055 Fleet St., Canton), Hoben (44680 Saltz Road, Canton) and Gallimore (8375 N. Sheldon Road, Canton) will go to the new Thomas Workman elementary (250 N. Denton Road, Canton), which is opening in the fall, or Dodson (205 N. Beck Road, Canton). * At Dodson: Some Dodson Elementary students will go to Workman, while some students at Hoben, Gallimore and Bentley will move to Dodson.

-- At Eriksson: Some students will be moved to Field and Bentley elementary schools. Some Bentley students will be shifted to Dodson.

-- At Smith: Some students from Smith Elementary (1298 McKinley St., Plymouth) will head to Hulsing.

-- At Bird Elementary: Nearly 100 students will move to Isbister (9300 Canton Center Road, Plymouth). This number is larger than the original Housing Committee recommendation.

Barbara Rodenberg, P-CCS assistant superintendent for instructional services and chairwoman of the district's Housing Committee, said that under the plan, the populations at Bird and Isbister will be nearly identical this fall, with 571 students at Isbister and 574 students at Bird.

"It has pros and cons," Rodenberg said. "There's no perfect option."

Lee Harrison, Isbister principal, said several parents have called the school or visited, but the overall reaction to the change has been positive.

"They liked it where they were ... but they're giving it their best shot," Harrison said. "So far, it seems to be going alright."

P-CCS officials plan to mail school change information to affected families this week. For information about the redistricting plan, select the "District" link, and click on "Housing Committee" on the P-CCS Web site at: www.pccs.k12.mi.us , or call the district at 734-416-2700. Contact NAOMI R. PATTON at 248-351-3689 or patton@freepress.com.

-----

Copyright (c) 2006, Detroit Free Press

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

For information on republishing this content, contact us at (800) 661-2511 (U.S.), (213) 237-4914 (worldwide), fax (213) 237-6515, or e-mail reprints@krtinfo.com.

Source: Detroit Free Press

More News in this Category