| Tracy school won't switch to year-round track -- yet Bohn Elementary parents 'relieved,' but remain wary By Kate Fowlie STAFF WRITER TRACY -- Parents vehemently opposed to converting Bohn Elementary School to a year-round schedule will get their wish, at least for now. The Tracy Unified School District already switched five of its 12 elementary schools to a multi-track system this year as a solution to overcrowding. Bohn was being considered for the same change based on its projected student enrollment, but that projection apparently was too high, according to a report presented to the school board meeting Tuesday night. The revised numbers show the school will not be overcrowded in the next five years. As a result, Bohn most likely won't go to a year-round schedule, but the issue will be revisited every year, Superintendent Keith Larick said Wednesday. "Those growth projections suggest that it is not necessary at this time," Larick said. Bohn parent Kymber Drozen, a vocal opponent to year-round education at her school, said she was relieved by the news but remains wary. "I am excited," she said Wednesday. "It appears that -- for now -- the battle is over, but that is not say they won't try to make Bohn year-round again." The report, which was prepared by the district's Director of Alternative Programs, James Mousalimas, shows this year's actual enrollment is 485 students. That's 84 students less than the original report's most aggressive prediction of 569 pupils for the year 2001-02. The new projections indicate 549 students are expected to be at the school in 2005, well below the school's capacity of 601. The original report predicted enrollment would be 687 in the 2003-04 school year. Larick said the district's reason for changing schools to a multi-track system was based on future overcrowding and growth. This system increases a school's student capacity by staggering groups of students and gives them a month-long break every three months instead of the traditional summer. Drozen and others said this could mean siblings might end up on different schedules and would make family vacations difficult. But now, Larick said it appears growth has slowed because housing construction is down, state funding for schools in on hold and, most recently, the economy is in limbo because of the recent terrorist attacks on America. The school board will hold a study session Nov. 8 to look over the new report and probably will make the official decision on Bohn at its regular meeting Nov. 9, said School Board Vice President Tom Hawkins. "The board is trying to come up with a good solution," Hawkins said. "It appears to me that (Bohn) is not ready to go year-round yet because of the enrollment." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reach Kate McKinley Fowlie, who covers the City of Tracy, at (209) 832-6139 or via e-mail: kmckinley@angnewspapers.com Note: the word "Yet" in Mr. Hawkins statement. And he wonders why we don't trust our board? |
| Tracy Parents against MTYRS and YRS |
 |
|
|