The Stranger reported today that Lowell Elementary is contemplating moving its 4th and 5th grade APP students to the Lincoln High School site here in Wallingford for the 2011-12 school year. The Capitol Hill-based school is home to three specialized programs within the district: Accelerated Progress Program (APP), General Education/Advanced Learning Opportunity (ALO) and Specialized Education, and as such, its projected enrollment numbers for this fall could be close to 700, according to the Stranger’s article. Lowell’s School Report from the district for the school year 2009-10 shows a total of 441 students, and the Stranger reports that the school’s capacity is 475.
Included in the article was a (.pdf) link to a letter sent to Lowell families, written by Nancy Coogan, Executive Director of Schools, Central Region, in which she explained that the move would “be a short-term solution” while school and district officials figure out next steps for accommodating the surge of new students. Coogan’s letter invites parents from Lowell to the Lincoln Auditorium on Monday night to discuss their options.
Currently, Lincoln is home to McDonald Elementary while their building continues to be refurbished through 2012. Queen Anne Elementary was also using the Lincoln location as an interim site until the end of this school year.
Terrible idea. Families with two kids in different grades could have kids in different schools-in the same school! The continuity between staff members and collegial environment will be lost! This would be crazy for any elementary school. It seems irrational and illogical, which is completely in accord with this school district