Parents upset over Lawrence school restructuring

Angry parents in Lawrence attended a school board meeting Tuesday night to voice their opposition to a plan that would restructure School No. 5. Under the plan, School No. 5 would be used to educate

News 12 Staff

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Oct 28, 2014, 6:29 AM

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Updated 3,712 days ago

Angry parents in Lawrence attended a school board meeting Tuesday night to voice their opposition to a plan that would restructure School No. 5.

Under the plan, School No. 5 would be used to educate 100 special needs students. The current 400 students at the school would shift to other schools in the district.

First and second-graders will be moved to Inwood No. 2 Elementary School by next September. Third and fourth-graders will be moved to Lawrence Middle School.

Superintendent Gary Schall says the district would maintain ownership of School No. 5 and lease the building to generate revenue for the district.

"With New York State tax caps and limited resources for every district, everyone is looking for creative ways to economize, generate revenue streams, reduce expenditures," said Schall.

Parents were upset to find out the district drew up the proposal in July, and didn't inform them until mid-October.

"It seems like this was something that was rushed just so that if there was opposition to it there was no way we could voice our concerns or do anything to stop it," said parent Sal Dash.

A town hall meeting on the issue will be held on Wednesday.