CITY SCHOOLS TO EXAMINE BOUNDARIES

In an effort to reduce burgeoning class sizes in schools on Cape Girardeau's north and west ends, a group of parents and educators will begin meeting this week to draw new boundary lines for the city's elementary schools.

The redistricting committee, led by school board members Bob Fox and Steve Wright, meets Tuesday. The Board of Education meets Monday at 5 p.m., and discussion of redistricting is on the agenda.

Redistricting has become particularly important since the school district won't be building a new school any time soon.

Three times the school board asked voters for money to build a new school. Each time voters said no.

Fox said, "If we can't build a new elementary school, we will have to move the boundaries to move children and alleviate the crowding."

The city's population has grown north and west. Schools in those areas, Alma Schrader and Clippard, as well as Franklin, have seen enrollment increases. Class sizes are in the high 20s.

Some fourth, fifth and sixth-graders at Franklin have been transferred to Jefferson, and kindergarteners have been transferred from Clippard to classes at Alma Schrader in an attempt to balance class sizes.

At the same time, class sizes at Jefferson are in the low 20s, and some classes at May Greene are in the teens.

"We have got to get some kids out of that northwest district," Fox said.

Fox said a good target is for class sizes to be below 25 at all schools.

The committee also will examine ways to balance the schools racially while maintaining neighborhood schools.

Using census data and a computer program, school officials are able to gauge the impact of redrawing district boundaries.

"Using this computer program we can move boundaries over one street or two and see what happens numberswise," Fox said.

On Tuesday, the group will review demographic data and a couple preliminary scenarios.

Elementary school principals said they would like to see major thoroughfares like Lexington, Sprigg, Independence and Kingshighway used as boundaries.

"We've tried three times to try to get the public to let us build another elementary school," Fox said. "With that out of the picture, this is another option."

Even if an elementary school had been approved, the elementary district lines would have changed. School officials felt the change would have been more palatable if a new building was figured into the picture.

"What we really are trying to do is reduce class size," Wright said. "Hopefully through redistricting we can make school enrollments more equal."

Wright said discussions are preliminary.

"Nothing we would do would take affect until 1996," Wright said. "I think we can give voters a chance to look at this and then decide."