UPDATED: Memo Updates Parents, BOE On Moving Fifth Graders

In a June 19 memo to the Board of Education and a similar message to the community dated June 22, provided updates on the “an emotional and difficult decision” that as well as some other consolidation housekeeping matters, things that matter to parents as well as board members. 

“I have struggled to find another way to alleviate the situation at (Kolnaski). While this is a disruptive and unfortunate decision and I would prefer not to make it, I can see no other plan that would be less intrusive,” he wrote the BOE explaining that members can expect to continue to “get the calls and emails.” 

“We will get this done in as smooth as a manner as possible,” he said. “In the end it will make for a better school year and education for all of the children. Again, this is a temporary solution and we will need to address the long-term plan through redistricting.”

News For Fifth Graders and Their Parents

A phone call was to have been made to Kolnaski 5th grade parents regarding three updates. 

According to Collins the KSACC before and after school program at Kolnaski will be available to the 5th grade kids being moved.  

“This will provide a service to parents who have depended upon this program to continue to receive the service. It will make for one less disruption to families and students,” he wrote. 

Secondly, Collins wrote there are 14 5th grade students who have siblings who also attend the school and the plan is to give families the option to have brothers and sisters also attend Claude Chester. He said four of the 14 are incoming Kolnaski Kindergartners.   

And Collins said the district would reach out to parents to let them know which Kolnaski teachers will be moving to Claude Chester in an effort to “provide some reassurance that there will be familiar faces and someone …who knows their child from ‘day one.’”

Middle school and Kindergarten updates 

In addition to the move, Collins addressed . He said letters have been sent to “students and their families confirming student assignments.” He said questions need to be directed to the schools. Cutler Middle School can be reached at (860) 572-5830 and West Side Middle School at (860) 449-5630. 

The big news for families of the youngest of students: After schedule development meetings between administrators and elementary school principals, GPS will offer full day Kindergarten. 

“This will also entail less bussing of Kindergarten students to other schools out of their attendance area than occurred this year,” he wrote, adding that due to "numbers," Pre-K will be centralized in two schools; S. B. Butler and Charles Barnum. 

“I believe this news will be very well received by the Groton parents,” he wrote.

Two Board of Education meetings are scheduled for tonight; 5:30 Special Meeting in Room 19 and Committee of the Whole at 7 p.m. But depending on which website one consults -- the town website or the schools -- one may have been cancelled.