Update: School district votes to move dual immersion program
Update posted Feb. 16:
– The Paso Robles Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees released the following update regarding the decision to restructure the two local middle schools to accommodate displaced students from the closure of the Georgia Brown Elementary Dual Immersion School:
On Tuesday night (Feb. 13), the Board of Trustees of Paso Robles Joint Unified School District approved a decision to restructure two middle schools, namely Daniel Lewis Middle School, located at 900 Creston Road, and George Flamson Middle School, located at 2405 Spring Street. This decision was made to accommodate students displaced by the closure of Georgia Brown Elementary School, a dual-immersion elementary school, due to a geological anomaly at that site.
The board spent almost three hours discussing agenda item I.1. Dual Immersion Recommendation and eventually passed a motion with a 5:2 vote, with Kenney Enney and Joel Peterson dissenting. The motion approved was as follows:
A motion to approve the dual immersion program to relocate to the current Daniel Lewis Middle School campus and George Flamson Middle School as the new Junior High School for 6th and 7th grade, all elementary schools to follow the K-6 model, and implement new boundaries.
Daniel Lewis will house the dual immersion program for grades K-6 next year and gradually phase in Grades 7 and 8 over the next three years, and Flamson will be converted to a 7th and 8th grade junior high school starting in August of 2024. All neighborhood elementary schools will also convert from TK-5 to TK-6 starting next school year.
Attendance boundaries will also be realigned slightly as the dual immersion program will be strictly a magnet program with no neighborhood attendance area. Students currently enrolled at the remaining elementary sites and their incoming siblings will not be required to change schools.
The district’s transportation department will prepare an in-town bus route with before and after-school connections to various school sites.
The district says it appreciates the feedback and support of the community and volunteers during these challenging times. “Every effort will be made to minimize the impact of these changes on staff and students, as we do not anticipate many, if any, staff layoffs.”
Original story posted Feb. 15:
Board also approves construction bid for aquatic center
– The Paso Robles Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees met last night to discuss the future of the dual immersion program at Georgia Brown Elementary.
After being presented with options for the next school year and potential re districting of boundaries, the board voted to 5-2 in their decision to house the dual immersion program at Lewis Middle School for the 2024-2025 school year.
Flamson Middle School will be converted into a joint junior high school and all incoming 6th graders will stay at their respective elementary schools.
The board also chose to adopt the second presented option for school boundaries regarding incoming kindergarten which would expand Kermit King elementary schools boundaries into the current Georgia Brown area. The two opposing votes for this decision were from Trustees Kenny Enney and Joel Peterson.
The board also voted 5-2 in favor of approving the final construction bid for the new aquatics center at Paso Robles High School.
-Report and photo by Anthony Reed
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