September  2026

The transition costs are minimal. Each summer, the District routinely adjusts staffing, classrooms, and supplies across buildings as part of our normal operational planning. These shifts are necessary to respond to enrollment changes and to ensure we use our resources responsibly.

Over the past four years, we have reassigned 88 teachers between buildings as part of this annual process. (This number does not include our classroom/grade level changes that occur each year within a building) The adjustments required for this plan will occur within that same routine framework.

In a small number of classrooms, we will make modifications to better support specialized programming. These improvements will be completed by our operations, maintenance and technology staff as part of their regular summer work. Costs for transitions would be $ 2,500 per mag lock on any door requiring this control, and $6K for any room that would need a padded quiet room/corner with a mag lock. At this point in time, we do not anticipate any additional technology device expenditures. All specialized classroom and student needs are based on students' needs. These costs, like any year, can change due to Individualized Education Plans. 

 Yes. When elementary attendance boundaries are developed, alignment with middle school boundaries will be an important consideration.

The District team is still in the planning stages of classroom and space use for all buildings following the implementation of the new attendance zones.  We anticipate using our lower-level spaces for our preschool programming.  

While 60% of our current preschoolers do not attend their neighborhood school's preschool, the District understands that transportation could be a concern for families, especially related to east-west travel across the city. While the City does not currently operate a circulator or provide RTA-based bussing, we are actively aware of and monitoring the broader community conversations about local transit options and how they could support students and families.

The elementary playground upgrades have been part of our long-term facilities planning for several years and are not a new initiative. These projects are scheduled as part of the District’s ongoing effort to maintain safe, updated play spaces for students.

The current estimated costs are approximately $320,000 for the Hayes playground and $475,000 for the Horace Mann playground.

Both playgrounds are nearing 20 years old. The Hayes playground was installed in 2007, and the Horace Mann playground was installed in 2008. As part of our planned rotation of upgrades, Emerson’s playground (installed in 2008) is scheduled to receive improvements next year.

This phased approach allows the District to responsibly maintain and update playgrounds across our elementary schools over time rather than addressing all facilities at once.

Anyone can apply for open enrollment, which opens March 1. Decisions are often made late into the summer due to enrollment counts and approval depends on numbers for each building.

Emerson - 76.6%
Grant - 65.9%
Harrison - 63.3%
Hayes - 70.5%
Horace Mann - 75.2%
Roosevelt - 64.3%

The administration assessed the specialized classrooms to determine whether relocating programs could better support the District's goals of stable class sizes, reduced teacher mobility, and balanced building capacity and found that moving the specialized programs would not compromise the quality of instruction or services - including gifted. It's important to note that first-floor accessibility at Hayes for our CHAMPS program was very important to the district.

 An early childhood education center allows the District to bring all preschool programs under one roof, creating a cohesive, high-quality learning environment for our youngest students. Benefits include:

• Consistency and collaboration: Teachers can share resources, training, and best practices, leading to stronger instruction and smoother transitions into kindergarten.
   
• Dedicated spaces: Classrooms and play areas are specifically designed for preschoolers, supporting early learning and social-emotional development.
   
• Family support: Centralized before- and after-school care, as well as summer programming, make it easier for families to access services in one location.

Efficient use of space: Repurposing an existing school allows the District to use facilities more effectively while maintaining equity and program quality.