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Meetings On School Overhauls Scheduled

Bt Courant Staff Report

September 25, 2007

The first of three community meetings on the overhaul of low-performing Hartford elementary schools is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday at Milner School, 104 Vine St.

The Milner, Burns and M.D. Fox schools have been targeted for a complete redesign - including staffing, curriculum and organization - by next year, but officials have not determined what form each school's redesign will take.

The district is seeking ideas and comments from the community and plans to have recommendations ready later this fall.

The shake-up is part of Superintendent of Schools Steven J. Adamowski's plan to create a citywide system that will allow parents to choose from a range of schools and educational approaches.

The plan is designed to inject new life into a 25,000-student district that enrolls many poor children and is among the lowest-performing systems in the state.

Officials envision options modeled after schools that have solid track records, such as a Montessori school, a school focusing on international studies or a school emphasizing character education, similar to the city's popular Breakthrough Magnet School.

Thursday's meeting at Milner includes child care for children ages 2 and older.

Other community meetings are scheduled next Monday at Burns School, 195 Putnam St., and Oct. 11 at M.D. Fox School, 470 Maple Ave. Those meetings also will begin at 6 p.m. and include child care.