Breaking: Public hearing added before board meeting Jan. 20

Speed Gibson posted breaking news:

There’s breaking news on the District 281 web site. There is now a Public Hearing scheduled for 5:30 pm this Tuesday, ahead of the Robbinsdale Area Schools Board meeting at 7 pm. And, the “close Sonnesyn” alternative of the K-5 option (not to be confused with the “K-5 Variation” option) has been detailed in an additional Consultant report.

One suspects there has been some feedback since the Board work session last Thursday that set Tuesday’s agenda. That agenda will take up option K-5 as recommended first, which will close Sunny Hollow, Pilgrim Lane, and Sandburg. But if that is not adopted, then the K-5 alternative that closes Sonnesyn instead of Sunny Hollow will be considered.

The school board is listening, so attend if you can Tuesday at 5:30.

The options remaining for consideration are:

1.    The K-5 option, which was recommended by the facilities study team, and closes Pilgrim Lane and Sunny Hollow Elementary Schools, and Sandburg Middle School in 2009-10. In this option, Sunny Hollow is repurposed as the Robbinsdale Spanish Immersion School (RSIS), and Sandburg students are split between the remaining middle schools.

2.    A slight variation on the K-5 option which closes Sonnesyn Elementary School instead of Sunny Hollow.

3.    The K-6 Option, which moves 6th grade to elementary schools, closes Northport and Lakeview Elementary Schools and Robbinsdale Middle School in 2009-10. Most Northport and Lakeview students would move to the former Robbinsdale Middle School space alongside Robbinsdale Spanish Immersion School (RSIS).

The board meeting begins at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast live on Cable channel 22. The board will consider the options early in the meeting. Every effort will be made to show the public meeting live as well.

Here’s the link to download Facilities Study 4 (Sonnesyn variation)