School district plans elementary school reconfiguration in fall

Projected enrollment increases over the next 10 years in West Jefferson Hills School District is the driving force behind the planned reconfiguration of the three elementary schools starting this fall.

The restructuring also will result in educational benefits, like small class size, improved efficiency and a more personalized experience for students, superintendent Michael Ghilani said.

“There’s great opportunity in what we are doing,” he said.

Currently, Gill Hall, McClellan and Jefferson elementary schools house kindergarten through fifth grade.

The school board voted unanimously on Jan. 23 to adopt the so-called Option 1, which includes making McClellan and Gill Hall pre-kindergarten through second grade, and Jefferson grades three to five; building a $7 million eightor 10-room addition at Gill Hall within the next two years; and making kindergarten full-day only.

Parents have the choice of opting out of full-day kindergarten for the 2018-19 school year. However, a midday bus run will end, thereby saving the district $16,000 per month. Parents will be responsible for transporting their children home from the half-day kindergarten.

Kindergarten registration is Feb. 15. Parents can choose the full-day or halfday kindergarten format for their child.

Matthew Patterson, assistant superintendent of elementary education, said studies have shown that full-day kindergarteners are more prepared for school than their half-day counterparts; have higher academic achievement in later grades; have better attendance; and show faster gains on literacy and language measures when compared to half-day students.

“I think it can have a tremendous impact on our kids,” Mr. Ghilani said of full-day kindergarten.

The board also voted to hire a demographer to perform boundary planning services by March 1 to determine which K-2 school students will attend.

The district comprises the communities of West Elizabeth, Jefferson Hills and Pleasant Hills. Gill Hall and Jefferson elementary schools are located in Jefferson Hills. McClelland is in Pleasant Hills.

The issue of overcrowding arose from a demographic study completed in June 2017 to predict future enrollment. A district-wide feasibility study subsequently was conducted, and recommendations were presented to the board in December.

Currently, Gill Hall, with a capacity of 300, has 297 students; McClellan, with a capacity of 450, has 473 students and Jefferson, with a capacity of 800, has 560 students.

Besides the capacity imbalance,there is a student-toclassroom imbalance, with 29.5 students per classroom at Gill Hall; 31.5 students per classroom at McClellan; and 20.5 students per classroom atJefferson.

According to demographic projections, by 2019, Gill Hall will have 308 students; McClellan, 489 students; and Jefferson, 565 students.

By 2027, Gill Hall is projected to have 354 students; McClellan, 570 students; and Jefferson, 570 students.

Mr. Ghilani said there are 47 more students at McClellan today than when school ended last June. He attributed the current and future increased enrollment to area housing growth to younger families moving into homes once occupied by retirees.

Mr. Ghilani said the resulting room space from reconfiguration will allow for a more targeted and focused approach to students’ individual needs.

“We will have a modular, flexible schedule based on small group instruction to improve academic and social emotional growth,” he said.

Mr. Ghilani said the next step is working on a transition plan for students, which could include bringing them into their new buildings and staging activities for youngsters to get to know one another.

“We want to make it as smooth as possible,” he said.