Parent Group Requests More Information Regarding Possible School Closure

For years now, the Ridgefield Public School administration and the Board of Education have weighed the costs and benefits of possibly closing an elementary school due to declining enrollment, much to some parents' chagrin.

At last week's school board meeting, Sharon D'Orso, a parent in Ridgefield, stood up to represent fellow parents in the system in requesting more information from the administration and board regarding the possible closure.

In the past few months, the Board of Education has said that an enrollment of 2,000 would allow the schools to close one of the six elementary schools in town, a number the district could reach as soon as 2014, according to a study by the board's consultant.

D'Orso and 32 other community members signed the document sent to the Board of Education -- the questions therein surround issues of specific improvements, effects, timelines and future of the decision to close a school.

The document cited several of the reports the board had put forth in the past, including a demographic report of a rising number of child bearing women in the future, as well as a swath of new housing units approved in town, both of which would potentially increase enrollment.

Much of the parents' concerns in the past have surrounded the effect of transferring schools, as well as a possible redistricting despite a future need to re-open the school.

The problem, according to the group, is that not enough of the information is understood.

School officials and the Board of Education will hold more public sessions (as well as answer the specific questions in the parents') document before a June 1 vote on whether to close a school in 2014-15 when K-5 reaches 2,000, or vote on an alternative model.

Another possibility is to pair K-2 and 3-5, but this would also involve substantial redistricting.

If the decision is made to close the school, it could take until the end of the year to decide which one it would be -- Branchville, Farmingville, Scotland and Veterans Park have been identified as possibilities due to their size.