By Calvin Pynn, contributor
The Harrisonburg City School Board is considering redistricting nearly 80 students to alleviate overcrowding in the city’s schools.
The potential move came up during the board’s work session Thursday evening as part of the ongoing discussion around targeted rezoning. Superintendent Michael Richards said most of Harrisonburg’s elementary schools are over capacity.
“All of them, except Bluestone [Elementary], are overcrowded by a little bit, and Waterman [Elementary] is overcrowded by a lot,” Richards said.
Waterman, in the northwest neighborhood off Chicago Avenue, is 20% over capacity, according to data regarding elementary school enrollments discussed at the meeting. Bluestone, which is across from Harrisonburg High School on Garbers Church Road, would be the most feasible location to redirect students.
The board is considering two options for the transition to Bluestone: moving 77 students from the Rockingham Drive area, or 79 students from the Vine Street neighborhood.
Shawn Printz, HCPS’ Chief Operating Officer, said students enrolled in the division’s Dual Language and Special Education programs factor into how the potential rezoning will be approached.
“All students enrolled in dual language on Vine Street can move and can be accommodated to Bluestone,” Printz said.
However, all but five dual language students living on Rockingham Drive can be moved to Bluestone. HCPS Chief Academic Officer Joy Blosser said those students could be accommodated, but some adjustments would be needed at Bluestone.
“It’s across grade levels,” Blosser said. “For both Vine Street and Rockingham Drive, there are students that needed to be fit in every grade level except for 3rd on Vine Street, and then Rockingham Drive had students that would need to be fit in every grade level.”
Blosser said the district could provide a waiver dual language students to remain at Waterman if they elect to stay at the elementary school. As for students enrolled in the special education program at Waterman, Printz said the numbers are similar to those in dual enrollment.
The board will hold a public hearing on the matter at its next meeting on March 4. Richards said they hope to be ready to vote on redistricting by the end of March.
Collective Bargaining
The board also voted unanimously Thursday to make minor changes to the recently-passed collective bargaining resolution, clarifying which types of employees belong to the bargaining units. Joel Francis, the school district’s attorney and the division’s newly hired labor mediator, Keith Greenberg, suggested the changes.
“Confidential employees” were added to the resolution’s definition sections, referring to HCPS administrative employees who have access to information on labor relations in the city’s schools, and would generally be excluded from a bargaining unit. Another change to resolution excludes temporary employees from bargaining units, including independent contractors to HCPS, short-term substitutes, and members of the school board.
School board Chair Emma Phillips said those amendments to the resolution indicate that the division’s staff are doing their due diligence in navigating the novel process of establishing collective bargaining in Harrisonburg’s schools.
“I think it bodes well for the entire process,” Phillips said.
Vice Chair Tim Howley echoed that sentiment.
“The spirit of the agreement is intact, and still very much at play,” Howley said.
Other highlights
– The board voted unanimously to approve a supplemental appropriation request from Harrisonburg City Council for more than $375 million to be allocated to the school operating fund.
– The board also approved submitting the school district’s “The World Is My Classroom” program for the Virginia School Board Association’s annual “Showcasing Innovation” award. The initiative supports real-world learning experiences for HCPS students.
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