One of the reasons given for the recent redistricting of Clarkston Schools was the need to ensure that every elementary school in the district has dedicated rooms for music, art and science programs.
Before portions of the student population were redistributed across the district, both Independence and Springfield Plains used one or more of their dedicated special rooms as ordinary classrooms due to the large number of students they had enrolled.
According to SPE Principal Dr. Sharon Devereaux, the discovery room, normally used for science lessons, was used for kindergarten. Likewise, the art room was used as a second grade classroom. With no alternative room available, art supplies were transported between classrooms on a grey pullcart.
With the adjustments made by redistricting plans, Springfield Plains reported a decrease of approximately 56 students between Sept. 2004 and Sept. 2005, according to unaudited student enrollment numbers.
The reduction meant less class sections, and the dedicated art and discovery rooms would no longer be needed as extra classrooms. Devereaux said the discovery room is better suited for science projects because of a tile floor and open shelf space so students do not have to move or take apart projects after each class.
‘It’s an ideal science room,? said Devereaux.
Devereaux said the music room remained in the proper dedicated room. However, during half of Springfield Plains?12 years of operation, one or more of the dedicated rooms were required to be used for other purposes.
In the past, art supplies were kept in janitorial closets throughout the building but can now be kept in the large storage areas connected to the art room. Having the dedicated room also means less time is needed for setup and cleanup for each class, something Devereaux said cut into instructional time during the previous year.
‘This year we’re in very good shape. We have our dedicated rooms and we have room for growth,? said Devereaux. Devereaux commented that there are over 300 sites within Springfield Plains boundaries that are ready to be developed, and they wanted to make sure the school had room for new students in the upcoming years.
Dawn Gibutis is in her first year as art teacher for Springfield Plains. She said the room is great for the amount of work she and her students need to do.
‘I can’t even imagine working on a cart,? said Gibutis.
Independence reduced the overall student population by approximately 30 students from Sept. 2004 to Sept. 2005 according to unaudited student enrollment numbers. This year, the discovery room is once again being used as for science lessons, health class and the talent development program.
IE Principal Chris Turner said the adjustment was not a result of redistricting, and was more the result of a large fifth grade class graduating and moving on to middle school.
‘That issue really didn’t have anything to do with redistricting. That was a building decisions that we made last year to make that a fifth grade classroom,? said Turner.
To keep the fifth grade classrooms in close proximity with each other, the discovery room was converted into a classroom. A smaller classroom on the other end of the school was used as the discovery room.
After the school year ended, the extra fifth grade classroom was no longer needed, and the discovery room was relocated back to fill the space. The room used last year for the discovery room is now used as a second grade classroom.
‘We’re still using the same number of classrooms this year as we were last year. Our school wasn’t really impacted tremendously by redistricting,? Turner said.
Turner said the reduction in student population was general reduction and did not effect one grade level significantly more than any other.
Turner said one grade level usually requires a little more space than others every year and due to the schools? design, he usually has to adjust rooms allocation every year. Turner added that the room used as the discovery room last year is a flexible room that changed in purpose depending on what the school needs at the time.
As with the discovery room at Springfield Plains, Turner said the Independence room benefits from being better suited for science work.
‘When you do science projects that have a lot of water or different types of materials you’re using, powders or dirts, things like that, it’s nice to have tile floor because it’s easier to clean,? Turner said.
Kara Lomazov, a third grade teacher at Independence, said the room’s extra space is extremely helpful
‘It’s just easier to get to the kids, like when we’re doing handwriting, to check their books for them,? Lomazov said.
Lomazov added having more space in between desks and tables makes moving around the room easier and the layout of the room allows students to see the board regardless of what direction they are seated at. Lomazov said she uses the room when time is available.