Starr's proposal to close Stark inflames debate

I too choose to live in Stamford, I love the diversity but what I don't like about the current redistricting process is that the BoE is telling us where we have to send our children.
There is no input from the general tax paying citizens, there is a lot of talking going on behind closed doors, secret meetings, etc...
It's not right, every tax paying citizen deserves to be part of the process. This current process needs to stop.
In 2005 an outside consulting firm formulated the following scenerios:
In one plan, the district would be divided into three geographic regions for elementary schools. Within each, parents would choose from four elementary schools, but the elementary magnet schools only would be open to students living in a region with a magnet school.
Students in each region would move together to the same middle school. The students could apply to Scofield Magnet Middle School and a magnet program at Rippowam Middle School created under the plan. Two regions would be established for high school attendance.
In the second plan, there would be more, smaller regions. Parents would get the choice of two elementary schools and could apply to any magnet school. Students would be assigned to a middle and high school and could apply to the magnet schools in those grades.
This is what we need the BoE to take a look at. If not these ideas then how about some others....

Parent of Stark Stars wrote:

"Let's face it---everyone who has their children in the Stamford public schools would rather have them in the awesome Darien schools."
I disagree. Our family can afford to move to Darien and we choose not to. Yes, diversity is an ideal and we're getting here in Stamford, specifically at Stark. We CHOSE the Stark neighborhood for its diversity. After a long house search, crossing off the Newfield, Westover, Davenport, N Stamford and Shippan neighborhoods, we CHOSE our home right in the Stark district.
My husband and I are both Ivy League graduates and I have a second Ivy League degree in education. As a former educator, my kids are getting not only a top notch education at Stark, but also preparation for the real world. And, they both went into Stark in K with one of the lowest DRA scores. Now, they've hit every ceiling of DRA scores since the middle of first grade. It's the teachers' dedication.
Darien has no diversity and no preparation for what the real world looks like. Their kids have problems too- just a more expensive kind with cocaine, self-mutilation, etc.
Do your homework.

Did everyone see the front page article in Saturday's (5/10/08) Advocate? A teacher from North East made teacher of the year, very nice story but I have a question. Where are all the "disadvantaged" kids in the class? The picture on the front page shows all "advantaged" students........
Couldn't help but notice and comment.....

I attended SPS all of my life through graduation. When Ryle closed, I was bussed across town the next seven years. From Southfield Park to Turn of River was nearly 20 miles a day on the bus. Then to Ripp. Always wondered why I had to do this when the North Stamford kids could walk to school. Affected ability to play sports, do homework and work after school. Left home before the sun came up and returned after it set. It is about time fairness was considered.
Perhaps Stamford should consider having K-2 and 3-5 schools like many other areas of the country and then everyone gets to stay in their neighborhood for at least part of the time and everyone gets to experience being shipped like cattle. If you believe your wealth should determine where your children attend school, look at private schools.

It's impossible that your commute from Southfield to TOR was 10 miles each way. Even if TOR were on the northernmost border of Stamford / Pound Ridge, it still would not have been 10 miles.

Stamford bred and away wrote:

I attended SPS all of my life through graduation. When Ryle closed, I was bussed across town the next seven years. From Southfield Park to Turn of River was nearly 20 miles a day on the bus. Then to Ripp. Always wondered why I had to do this when the North Stamford kids could walk to school. Affected ability to play sports, do homework and work after school. Left home before the sun came up and returned after it set. It is about time fairness was considered.
Perhaps Stamford should consider having K-2 and 3-5 schools like many other areas of the country and then everyone gets to stay in their neighborhood for at least part of the time and everyone gets to experience being shipped like cattle. If you believe your wealth should determine where your children attend school, look at private schools.

The "North Stamford kids could walk to school"? You must be joking. Northeast, Riverbank, Roxbury, Davenport don't have sidewalks. EVERYONE is bused. And Riverbank was closed because it was too far from downtown to bus kids there.

The kids in North Stamford have some of the longest bus rides in Stamford because of the many stops the bus has to make on narrow winding streets.

K-2 and 3-5 was considered, and is not a bad idea, but it doesnt build schools in areas of town where there aren't any, and many people object to it because they don't want their elementary age kids in two different schools.

bdh wrote:

<quoted text>
Let's face it---everyone who has their children in the Stamford public schools would rather have them in the awesome Darien schools. The ideals of diversity fade pretty fast when the terrible reality faced by those on this thread; an inferior public school experience--are thrust upon them; timing couldn't be worse in the RE market in Stamford either to have to try and get out.

Aryan Darien?

Ew. No thanks.

Moving wrote:

My wife and I live in Glenbrook, we moved here long before we had children or even considered what the public schools here were like. We both embrace diversity and would like our son to grow up with children from all walks of life.
On the other hand, and I could be wrong, but most of the students at Stark come from a lower economic background and a large percentage of them are speaking English as a second language. We are working hard to prepare our son for school and don't want him to fall behind.
We're seeing the signs all over Glenbrook and are frankly surprised by passion everyone has for Stark considering the fact that it's on the watch list for failing schools. If there's a way to fix it, I'm for it. If it can't be fixed I think it should be closed and the students moved to schools that are working. And if it stays open we're moving.

Bye Bye!!!!!!!!!!

bdh wrote:

<quoted text>
Let's face it---everyone who has their children in the Stamford public schools would rather have them in the awesome Darien schools. The ideals of diversity fade pretty fast when the terrible reality faced by those on this thread; an inferior public school experience--are thrust upon them; timing couldn't be worse in the RE market in Stamford either to have to try and get out.

SPEAK FOR YOURSELF.