Derby Public Schools is hosting a community forum on Tuesday night about its long-term facilities plan. KMUW's Abigail Beckman reports the district is considering several changes.
The $88 million plan is called the Process for Success. It suggests closing Pleasantview Elementary and moving those students to Park Hill, Derby Hills and El Paso Elementary Schools. Cooper Elementary would also be closed, but a new school would be built for students there.
Heather Bohaty with Derby Public Schools says the proposed changes would not affect class size.
"Class size deals with how many teachers you can hire and what your district’s spending budget that we get from the state is," she explains.
Instead, the plan would affect school size, making the district’s elementary schools larger with more sections of each grade.
Among other things, the plan also includes adding space for an alternative school and a storm shelter at Derby High School. The district is also hoping to make all of its playgrounds ADA compliant, increase the physical education space at the high school, and putting aside funds to purchase land for a new high school when the need arises.
If the school board approves the plan, Derby area residents would have to pass a bond in order to fund the project.
The meeting is at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 24, at Cooper Elementary. The district is holding another meeting on the plan at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 26, at Derby High School.
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