By Pepper Fisher
SEQUIM – Following up on our story about the Sequim School District’s decision to reconfigure the elementary schools as a response to budget shortfalls, the group Sequim Community Against Realignment has organized a protest for Monday, April 17 outside of the District offices. They’re calling for parents to keep their children out of school that day, or to otherwise wear red in protest.
The plan, which is scheduled to begin next school year, will place all pre-K through 2nd graders at Greywolf Elementary School, and all grade 3-5 students will attend Helen Haller.
In our story, we spoke with a parent who is against the realignment, and we included statements from School Superintendent Regan Nickels about why she supports it.
Since that time, we heard back from Board Vice President Patrice Johnston about why she believes the new model is a good idea.
Johnston says the new model has been discussed in the district in the past, but the expected budget shortfall and the added benefit of cost savings with the new plan caused the Board to take another look at it. However, she said, “while cost savings would be great, this decision should be made independent of that consideration.”
Johnston believes class sizes with the new model will probably be about the same as they have been, and she says that giving elementary students a chance to interact with all the students in their grade in a single school will address some of the problems that occur when they integrate Greywolf and Helen Haller students for the first time at Sequim Middle School.
Johnston also touts the advantages of having all elementary teachers form the same grades at the same schools.
The walkout and protest are scheduled for Monday morning at 7:30 and again at 3:45 at the corner of Sequim Avenue and Fir Street.