If you haven't heard by now about the Middletown Board of Education's plan to redistrict the school system to alleviate over crowding in Nut Swamp Elementary School, Thompson Middle School and Middletown High School South, where have you been?
All over Facebook, parents of kids that attend Middletown Village School, as well as the above mentioned schools are freaking out because, God forbid, their kids might have to attend Thorne Middle School or Middletown High School North and what will it mean when it comes to the value of their homes. After all, they say, they moved to current Middletown locations with the schools that their children would attend in mind. These parents say they are worried about their children's well being and state of mind, how will their kids cope if they are made to attend a different school in town? What will happen to their friends and the relationships that they've made while attending their current schools? .....
I say poppycock to it!
The reality off the situation is that overall student enrollment throughout the district is down and there is excess classroom space that needs to be filled. There is absolutely no good reason why there needs to be school overcrowding in a handful of schools, when classroom space is available elsewhere.
What's the alternative? Everyone is concerned a property taxes, should we spend more money to built a new school or expand the current schools that are overcrowded to alleviate the problems? NO, of course not. Is it right that some students can't attend class inside their current schools and must go outside to a trailer just to appease some parents ? I don't think so.
The bottomline is that redistricting the Middletown school system has been spoken about for years, it's been a long time coming and needs to be done so that the overall quality of education that our students receive doesn't suffer.
Kids are resilient, they'll get over it. They may miss their old friend for a week or so, but guess what? They'll make new ones and all will be well. If a child is afraid or showing some anxiety about the potential change, maybe it's because the parents are making it so by their actions and behavior during this period of uncertainty. Don't fan the flames and the fire will won't start. After all, we're all one Middletown aren't we?
There will be a special 6pm Middletown Board of Education meeting Monday night Oct 30th, at Middletown High School North where public hearing on the draft proposal for boundary realignment (redistricting) will be held. Anyone upset by this should attend so that your opinions and concerns will be part of the public record before the board of education votes on the issue later that evening.
