School Committee Approves New Boundaries for Elementary School District

At its November 17 special meeting, the Amherst School Committee (ASC) decided by a vote of 3–2 to accept the redistricting plan for Amherst Elementary Schools developed by Tim Ammon of Ammon Consulting to determine which students will attend the new elementary school at Fort River next September and which will attend Crocker Farm. The ASC voted unanimously to allow current students at Fort River and Crocker Farm to remain at their school if they choose to, even if the new plan has them at a different school.  Younger siblings of those students who wish to attend out-of-district will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Fort River and Wildwood Elementary Schools will close after this school year. The new, yet-to-be named school is due to open in the fall of 2026. 

Here are the latest proposed boundaries.

ASC members Deb Leonard and Bridget Hynes voted against the redistricting plan. Hynes questioned having all specialized programs located at the new school. She said that students in specialized programs will have fewer options to participate in the least restrictive situations under the plan. Leonard noted that the Caminantes Dual Language program has 40% of the students slated for the new school, but is afforded 50% of the space. She also pointed out that the data used for the redistricting is from October, 2021, when it was thought that the sixth grade would become part of the Middle School, not its own academy. She asked for more accurate information before the boundaries are decided.

School Superintendent E. Xiomara Herman (Dr. Xi) replied that those concerns were crossing into educational programming, which the staff will have to decide. She stressed the need to finalize the boundaries so that parents can learn what school their children will be attending, and the schools can work on staffing and transportation plans. Not knowing is causing anxiety for the district, parents, and staff, she said. She also pointed out that it is already known that the fourth grade at the new school will need an extra classroom, due to the large number of students. 

Sarah Marshall suggested that the plan can be adjusted after the new school opens,, but agreed with Dr. Xi that the ASC’s job was to accept the redistricting plan. ASC Chair Jennifer Shiao stated that the committee should make the best decision it can, given the timing and information. 

Although Irv Rhodes wanted parents to be able to decide which school their children attend, regardless of the boundaries established, he voted with the other ASC members to only allow current students to remain at the school outside of their district.