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Schools

New Ladue Fifth-Grade Center Coming to Westminster Property

Ladue School Board lines up behind fifth-grade center concept.

A newly constituted Ladue Board of Education has voted to use the Westminster Christian Academy facility as a fifth-grade center to accommodate growing district student enrollment.

The board also approved a custodial services contract that will result in the layoffs of as many as 19 district custodians and formalized a negotiated agreement with First Student Inc. to provide reduced student transportation services through the 2013-14 academic year.

The actions were taken during the board’s April 11 meeting at the district’s administration center after the board swore in two new members, said goodbye to two others and elected new officers.

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Whether the Westminster facility will eventually be converted into a second district middle school was left undetermined by the board. One of four Westminster options being studied by the board called for development of a fifth-grade center for three to five years before transitioning into a middle school for students in grades five through eight. Some community members had lobbied against mixing fifth-graders with eighth-graders, and some board members support eventual use of Westminster for grades five and six, with the existing middle school reserved for grades seven and eight.

The board voted 6-1 to pursue short-term, transitional use of Westminster as a fifth-grade center and only if the funds become available to staff and operate the new school. Board vice president Audrey Mack, who said she supports development of Westminster as a new kindergarten-through-eighth-grade school, voted against the fifth-grade center proposal, championed by board treasurer Jeff Kopolow and seconded by Stacy Washington, who took her new board seat earlier in the evening.

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Following the vote, board member Ken Smith proposed that next month the board consider placing an increase in the district’s operating tax rate on the election ballot, in order to pay for the fifth-grade center, among other things. He said the board needs to take action soon to get a tax hike proposition on either the November 2011 or the April 2012 election ballot. The board took no action on Smith’s proposal.

Under the fifth-grade center concept, fifth-grade classes would be eliminated from the district’s four elementary schools, and fifth-graders would be consolidated at Westminster, 10900 Ladue Rd., after Westminster vacates the property.

Board President Sheri Glantz urged the board to support the fifth-grade center concept while leaving open various options to deal with changing student demographics.

“I don’t feel we can make an ultimate decision,” said Glantz. “The thing about the fifth-grade center is that it allows us flexibilitywe will not be locking us into anything.”

In other action, the board approved a two-year night-time custodial contract with ABBCO Service Corp. The contract is intended to save the district approximately $500,000 each year. Jason L. Buckner, assistant superintendent for business and finance, told the board that as many as 19 district custodians would lose their jobs. About 14 daytime custodians would be retained, he said.

“No one wants to make this decision, but we have to do it,” said Washington, who noted the district’s looming budget deficit.

The board also approved a new three-year agreement with bus provider First Student. Under that agreement, district payments to First Student would decline by 15 percent next school year with the elimination of some student shuttles between schools and other service reductions. District payments would be frozen in the second contract year and would rise one percent in the third year, Buckner said.

Washington and Andy Bresler replaced Bob Glik and Donna Smith on the board, which elected new officers: Glantz, president; Mack, vice president; Jayne Langsam, secretary; and Kopolow, treasurer.

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