Farmington BOE discusses how to redistrict elementary schools

By Ted Glanzer

Staff Writer

FARMINGTON – With East Farms School bursting at the seams, the Farmington Board of Education is in discussions to redistrict the town’s elementary schools.

The Elementary Ad Hoc Committee, which began its work in March 2023 and had its last meeting in January, presented a preferred plan. It would be implemented for the 2025-26 school year, would shift the pre-kindergarten program to West Woods Upper Elementary School and redistrict certain streets from East Farms to Noah Wallace and Union schools.

“East Farms was getting to beyond 100% of utilization, that we have a challenge in enrollment on that side of town and with the recognition there’s new developments coming online with people coming to live in town, we felt it was important at this time to give it a close examination of what the school district is and where it will have to go depending on how enrollments increased,” school board Chairman Bill Beckert said.

Students who live at the following street names would move to Noah Wallace from East Farms: Bailey Court, Brickyard Road, Bridgwater Road, Central Way, Diamond Glen Road, Durham Lane, Eastview Drive, Farmington Avenue (Nos. 979-1276), Farmington Ridge Drive, Fenwick Drive, Forest Park Drive, Grandview Drive, Greenbriar Drive, Hampton Court, Hatters Lane, Hidden Spring Lane, Hilltop Road, Lakeshore Drive, Melrose Drive, Mountain Road, Poplar Hill Drive, Reservoir Road, Round Hill Road, Tunxis Village, Theodate Lane, Walton Way, Westerberg Drive, and Worthington Drive.

Meanwhile, future students (no current ones) who live at Farmington Avenue from Nos. 1293 to 1371 (odd numbers only) would attend Union School instead of East Farms.

A total of 65 students, or just less than 4% of students, would be affected by the redistricting plan, if it is implemented, school board Chairman Bill Beckert said.

“It’s a small percentage [of students],” Beckert said. “It was done in a very transparent way; the website has a link to every one of the ad hoc committee meetings that were conducted over the last year. It’s all there for people to see.”

Other considerations made by the committee before it made its recommendations included more traditional redistricting to all three other lower elementary schools, creating satellite districts for new developments or adding space to East Farms. The other options would either require significantly higher percentages of students to be moved around, or, in the case of adding on to East Farms, about a $5 million to $6 million cost, according to an informational slide.

One parent on Facebook said she believed the plan made sense.

“Small investment and most people get to stay in their current school,” the parents said. “I am relieved my kids won’t have to switch schools. The parking at Noah Wallace is scarce and this will amplify the problem unfortunately.”

Following a May 13 informational meeting, a final decision will be made at the school board’s June 3 meeting.

For more information on the potential redistricting, visit https://sites.google.com/fpsct.org/elementaryenrollmentcommittee/resources