As Parkland School District administrators prepare for the opening of Veterans Memorial Elementary School in September 2020, they are drafting a redistricting plan for students in the southern portion of the district.

Changes will be made in boundaries for Jaindl, Fogelsville, Cetronia and Parkway Manor elementary schools.

At a recent meeting, Superintendent Richard Sniscak discussed the redistricting project.

“We have 600 to 650 each at Jaindl, Cetronia, Fogelsville and Parkway Manor - our top four enrollment schools,” Sniscak said. “All have portables (classrooms).

“We want to bring that down to 450 to 550 in each building to balance enrollment and have optimum class sizes.

“The northern elementary schools and middle school borders will not change.”

He noted portable units will no longer house regular classrooms, but a few may be used for auxiliary purposes.

Assistant Superintendent Dr. Rod Troutman reported major changes will take place at the Fogelsville school next term.

About 300 children will transfer from Fogelsville to Veterans Memorial and some will shift from Cetronia and Parkway Manor to Fogelsville.

Sniscak said a portion of students from the crowded Jaindl school will be moved to Veterans Memorial.

He said the housing developments at Trexler Fields, Highgate Phase III and Valley West are supplying many new arrivals to the southern elementary schools.

Sniscak commented on the staffing process for Veterans Memorial.

“We want to build a culture and climate in the new school,” the superintendent said.

Troutman explained a requirement of the federal Title I program is to have an equity system which includes both experienced and novice teachers on staff.

“We’re going to do what’s best for all kids,” Troutman said. “Class size is way out of whack in the southern schools. We’ll fix that.”

He recalled the most recent redistrictings were in 2010 when Jaindl opened, and in 2015 when some students were moved northward to provide space in the southern schools.

Troutman said children usually adjust to their new school within a week.