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Parents Ask Board To Fix Overcrowding At Leopold Elementary
Parents, Staff Present Survey Findings To School Board
UPDATED: 2:36 pm CDT May 13,
2008
MADISON, Wis. -- Dozens of parents and staff members attended Monday night's Madison Metropolitan School District's Board of Education meeting to shed new light on an old problem: overcrowding at a local elementary school.
VIDEO: Watch The ReportThe issue of overcrowding at Aldo Leopold Elementary School is prompting some parents and teachers to tell the board solutions they'd like to see to relieve the problem.Some said that the obvious solution would be to build a new Leopold Elementary or perhaps to adjust the school's boundaries. The group presenting the board with the findings of a parent-teacher survey about the challenges at the school, WISC-TV reported.The school is at 99 percent attendance with 718 students and can only handle eight more students, officials said.Some of those in favor of a building a new school said that they're against expanding the current structure, WISC-TV reported.Leopold kindergarten teacher Kathryn Burns said she thinks small changes won't do."What's happened is that they've found things that have gotten them through year-by-year and our community is very frustrated with that," she said.Jackie Cooper, the mother of Leopold students, said that she wants a new building."You see it in the hallways, just in the number of students going between classes," she said. "It's just a lot of kids in the school, and I feel that the education of my children is going to start being compromised because just not enough space."During Monday night's meeting, the school board reviewed the findings from the 314 surveys that were completed. Two years ago, the board voted to add a cafeteria and more class space to the school.However, some parents said that they don't think the school can expand anymore and they plan another organizational meeting on Tuesday night.Officials said that the board is placing a lot of its effort on Leopold's overcrowding issues, even calling it a No. 1 priority, WISC-TV reported.School Board President Arlene Silviera said that she thinks the Leopold situation is complex. She said that for now, the board will search for a band-aid for next year while working on a long-term solution, which could indeed include a new school or new boundaries.Stay tuned to WISC-TV and Channel 3000 for continuing coverage.
VIDEO: Watch The ReportThe issue of overcrowding at Aldo Leopold Elementary School is prompting some parents and teachers to tell the board solutions they'd like to see to relieve the problem.Some said that the obvious solution would be to build a new Leopold Elementary or perhaps to adjust the school's boundaries. The group presenting the board with the findings of a parent-teacher survey about the challenges at the school, WISC-TV reported.The school is at 99 percent attendance with 718 students and can only handle eight more students, officials said.Some of those in favor of a building a new school said that they're against expanding the current structure, WISC-TV reported.Leopold kindergarten teacher Kathryn Burns said she thinks small changes won't do."What's happened is that they've found things that have gotten them through year-by-year and our community is very frustrated with that," she said.Jackie Cooper, the mother of Leopold students, said that she wants a new building."You see it in the hallways, just in the number of students going between classes," she said. "It's just a lot of kids in the school, and I feel that the education of my children is going to start being compromised because just not enough space."During Monday night's meeting, the school board reviewed the findings from the 314 surveys that were completed. Two years ago, the board voted to add a cafeteria and more class space to the school.However, some parents said that they don't think the school can expand anymore and they plan another organizational meeting on Tuesday night.Officials said that the board is placing a lot of its effort on Leopold's overcrowding issues, even calling it a No. 1 priority, WISC-TV reported.School Board President Arlene Silviera said that she thinks the Leopold situation is complex. She said that for now, the board will search for a band-aid for next year while working on a long-term solution, which could indeed include a new school or new boundaries.Stay tuned to WISC-TV and Channel 3000 for continuing coverage.
Previous Stories:
- April 11, 2006: Leopold Additions Included in 2006 Operating Budget
- March 27, 2006: MMSD Chooses New Elementary, Leopold Additions
- March 6, 2006: Board Considers New Option At Leopold
- February 24, 2005: Dissent Befalls Madison School Board Over New School
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