On Tuesday night, district executives told board members that the December 2007 redistricting, which sent about 49 Sawyer Road students to West Side, should be reversed for the 2010-11 school year. About 10 of those students are still at West Side and would be affected.
All of West Side's classrooms are occupied and two gifted classes are housed in trailers, whereas Sawyer Road has four empty classrooms.
The district's "choice" program, which allows students to attend any school regardless of where they live with some limits, has also added to overcrowding at West Side.
District leaders suggest reducing the number of kindergarten classes at West Side from five to four, and limit the number of kindergarteners who attend the school by choice.
"This will result in a net reduction of 47 students spread across grades kindergarten through five, thereby freeing up at least one classroom and keeping West Side from exceeding the available classroom space," said Preston Howard, assistant superintendent for operations and policy development.
Last February, the district was forced to hold a lottery for West Side's 12 choice kindergarten slots when 39 families applied.
Students who currently attend West Side via the choice program will be able to stay. But it has not been decided whether students who were rezoned into West Side in 2007 can stay.
"I think you need to go out into the community and be forthright and say because of the decisions we're making, we're going to limit choice," board member Jill Mutimer told Superintendent Dr. Emily Lembeck.
Irene Berens, who represents ward 7, said: "I would like a little more time to consider this. We're sort of zipping along at a fevered pace."
The board will talk more about the proposal when it meets Oct. 20, and could vote at its Nov. 6 meeting.
Hickory Hills Elementary is also at risk for reassignment, but not until after the 2010-2011 school year.
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For their myopia and their misappropriation of our tax dollars, it is time for the board and the superintendent and the entire cabinet to go.
The label itself has nothing to do with the school's success.
What really hurts is that the children that were redistricted to Westside may have to leave while "choice" students can remain. Ironic. We're supposed to be teaching critical thinking skills.