Panel: Avoid shuffling students

A panel of education experts generally agreed Tuesday that fewer transitions between schools are better for students, but available resources and student relationships also play roles in shaping a positive educational experience.

“These kids are going through a lot,” said Nancy Deutsch, an assistant professor at the University of Virginia’s Curry School of Education, of the middle-school experience.

The four panelists, all affiliated with UVa, sat in Charlottesville High School and discussed the best learning environments for Charlottes-ville’s middle school-age children.

The talk — moderated by Billy Cannaday, formerly the state superintendent of public instruction — was the second held as the division mulls the restructuring of its schools, with the possibility of one school being shuttered.

The division has come up with four options for its schools reconfiguration: leave everything as is; close one elementary; have six elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school; or have six elementary schools, one middle school and one high school.

The school system now has six elementary schools, one upper elementary school, one middle school and one high school.

The division shifted to having one upper elementary school and one middle school, instead of two, primarily to resolve social issues and not for instructional reasons, said Rebecca Kneedler, who served on a community task force when that move was made.

“My memory is that it was not driven by instruction,” she said. “I hope we don’t go back and redivide.”

Some school officials have cited research suggesting that students fare better academically when school systems limit the number of schools the students progress throughduring their academic career.

However, Charlottesville resident Lisa Woolfork, who has one child at Johnson Elementary and another at Walker Upper Elementary, said such transitions are not always problematic. Her eldest son, she said, enjoys Walker because he has a broad social landscape and access to more programs and activities.

“I think it was a good move for him,” she said. “I think that transitions could be a positive thing.”

The possible change in grade configuration was brought about as a way to help the division become more efficient in its use of buildings. The idea sprang from an efficiency review that was presented in January — the report recommended that Charlottesville close an elementary, which would save $466,830 annually, according to findings.

Closing Walker Upper Elementary School would save an estimated $871,731, the largest amount that could be gained by shuttering a school.

Panelist Susan Mintz, an associate professor at the Curry School, said better relationships could outweigh the negative aspects of going through more transitions. But, she conceded that “resources and space do make a difference.”

In determining the final course for the city’s schools, Superintendent Rosa S. Atkins said Tuesday that the four options would be whittled down to two after more community meetings. The final two recommendations will then be presented to the School Board.

Referring to the students, Pamela Roland, an assistant professor at UVa’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies, said, “What defines a quality school is how we define what we want to do for them.”