January 3, 2001

Dear Citizens of Newton:

I write today to inform you of an extremely important decision-making process the Newton School Committee will undertake in the coming months. As part of the High School Renovation Project, the Committee voted last spring to review the existing school district boundaries, in an effort to maximize the use of existing elementary and middle school space, as well as to create roughly equal student enrollments at Newton North and Newton South High Schools. This process of redistricting will be conducted in an open, fair manner, with ample opportunity for all interested parties to express their points of view on the best way to achieve a comprehensive, citywide solution to be phased in over a four-year period beginning in September 2003.

Specifically, the School Committee has authorized me to form a Redistricting Task Force comprised of one parent representative from each of Newton’s twenty-one schools along with a number of school department and City officials. The school department staff will be primarily responsible for collecting pertinent data and developing options for the School Committee’s consideration; the parents will be the key communicators, keeping the lines of dialogue between the schools and the Task Force open at all times. The timeline for decision-making is printed on the reverse side of this letter.

While the work of planning for redistricting is taking place, the renovation project itself moves ahead. Shortly after the November special referendum, the Mayor named the firm of Drummey, Rosane and Anderson, Inc. to be the principal architect on this project. The architect has already begun working with the Newton Public Schools’ staff, as well as the City Building Department, to ensure that we will meet the state deadlines for submission of the plans. This phase of the project, known as design development, will provide the Mayor, the School Committee, the Board of Aldermen, and all Newton residents with specific information and drawings to describe the ultimate renovation project. In addition, the Mayor recently named Turner Construction Co. as the professional project manager for the duration of both the planning and construction phases.

The School Committee’s decision-making is strengthened when citizens and staff engage in the process. Thus, we are inviting you to follow the redistricting process closely, both at the School Committee’s web site (http://www.newtonpublicschools.com) and in the local media. You may express your views on redistricting by writing to the School Committee at the above address, via e-mail at schoolcommittee@newtonpublicschools.com, or by attending the public meetings listed below. We welcome your voice in this important public conversation and thank you for your continued support of Newton’s children.

Sincerely,

Jeffrey M. Young

Superintendent of Schools

Proposed Redistricting Timeline

January Letter to general public

PTO meetings to get feedback

1/4 PTO Council

· Request for 21 parent representatives (1/19 deadline)

1/8 School Committee Meeting *

· Background information (maps, capacities, enrollment projections, current (proposed residential development)

· Approval of decision-making process and charge to RTF

1/22 School Committee Meeting *

· Discussion on criteria for evaluating plans

1/23 RTF Meeting

· Organizational

· Review of charge, process, background information

· Meeting schedule

1/29 Public Forum *

1/30 RTF

· Develop communication plan

· Plan for school meetings

2/12 School Committee Update *

February- RTF reviews proposed options

April RTF meets as necessary

April RTF submits report on proposed options to superintendent

4/23 School Committee Meeting *

· Presentation of options

5/7 School Committee Public Hearing on Options *

5/14 School Committee Meeting *

· Further discussion of options

· Select optimal options for final consideration

5/29 School Committee Vote on One Option *

* meeting open to the general public