Changes: Harford County Elementary Schools Redistricting Plan Approved

UPDATE (8:52 p.m.)—For a number of Harford County parents, it has finally ended. But for moms and dads of about 1,900 students, the process has just begun.

The Board of Education approved the final elementary school redistricting plan Monday night after months of  and a two-week deadline extension. It will take effect in the fall.

“I guess this is where I say, 'This is the moment we’ve all been waiting for,'” Board of Education President Mark Wolkow said before the vote.

After the unanimous approval, some board members let out a sigh of relief before many in attendance broke out in applause.

“We moved approximately 11 percent of the elementary school students,” Chief Administrative Officer Joseph Licata said before the vote.

Licata added that 290 or fewer fifth-graders in Harford County will be moved next year, 78 of whom are slated to attend the new Red Pump Elementary School. All affected fifth-graders will have the option of being “grandfathered” into their original school.

Hickory, Youth’s Benefit and Fountain Green elementary schools are the only three projected to be at 100 percent capacity next year.

The approved plan looks quite different from the draft first released in , a result of several hearings and . 

At the Feb. 28 meeting, board members  to the superintendent's technical advisory committee's last revision, including a grandfathering policy. Three additional changes were made before Monday’s vote.

During the public hearing, one parent from Fallston’s Woodsbrook community, Dave Cook, asked that the only two children in the neighborhood be allowed to remain at Youth’s Benefit Elementary School, instead of being moved to Jarrettsville. He claimed it would have no statistical effect on the school’s performance. Board member Thomas Evans accommodated with a proposed amendment.

A second amendment to return six Thomas Run Road students—two of them fifth-graders—to Prospect Mill Elementary School from Dublin Elementary School was proposed.

“There’s a sincere concern there for a small group of kids,” said board member Alysson Krchnavy, who proposed the change. “This [is] what’s right for those kids and it makes sense.”

Both were passed by a 7–0 vote.

The third and final amendment, also proposed by Krchnavy, moved 19 students from North Harford Elementary School back to Hickory Elementary School.

It passed by a vote of 6–1, with board member Leonard Wheeler voting nay.

In a move that drew praise from board member Donald Osman, a current Jarrettsville Elementary School parent invited redistricted families to a summer barbecue.

“It might make a lot of people feel better through this process,” Michael Meehan said after thanking the board for its decisions.

A few parents who spoke, however, did not get their way.

The president of the North Bend Elementary School PTA voiced concern about losing more than 30 students to Norrisville because of an amendment passed two weeks ago.

“Our students and parents were pleased with the logic that was in place … two weeks ago that changed,” Amy Miller said. “My concern here is that these are children, not objects you can move to and fro … This is a classic robbing-Peter-to-pay-Paul scenario.”

She said the amendment had “very little” support in the North Bend community, but her pleas were not answered with an amendment.

Greg Reed, a Fallston parent who moved into the area about three weeks ago, also made a last-minute request that was not accommodated.

“Youth’s Benefit is where we planned for [our son] to go. Unfortunately, we got injected into this redistricting,” said Reed, whose wife works for the Army.

Reed said his 5-year-old son has already gone through two school changes, with next year likely to bring his third.

With the proposal approved, the school system will enact  to help families adjust to new schools. The Harford County Elementary Redistricting Steering Committee plans to send letters to redistricted parents and hold special open houses in affected schools for those families.

After the approval, Licata expressed appreciation for patience from parents and board members, while recognizing the turmoil the process has caused.

“I shop in the same stores as you do,” he said. “I have to be careful what aisles I travel down now. [I'll] stay away from frozen foods and vegetables.”