Pushing the boundaries

A decade ago, Westwood Hills Elementary in Waynesboro was newly renovated and provided comfortable space for students and staff, officials say.

But today, the Waynesboro West End school’s classroom and office space is full.

Speech pathologist Anita Fears works with students in a small room. The room is adequate, she said, but a regular classroom would be preferable.

A redistricting committee appointed Tuesday night by the Waynesboro School Board will spend the next few months looking at a redistricting of attendance zones for Waynesboro’s four elementary schools – Westwood, Wenonah, Berkeley Glenn and William Perry.

If it goes as planned, the changes would take effect in August.

Assistant Waynesboro Superintendent Vermell Grant will lead the redistricting committee.

She said the goal is to create more favorable class sizes at Westwood by sending a portion of the current 525 students to other schools.

“Instead of 22 students per teacher, we want 18 to 19 students,’’ she said.

Part of the change at Westwood is attributable to growth within its attendance zone.

A decade ago when the last elementary redistricting occurred, Grant said less than 20 students from the Hopeman Station housing development attended Westwood.

Today, she said, about 20 students per grade level come from that Hopeman Station subdivision.

“We want equitable and equal services for all children,’’ Grant said. “It is hard to do that with 22 students in a room in a school building and 14 in a room in another school.”

Westwood Hills Principal Renae Deffenbaugh said the goal of the redistricting is to do what’s best for all the city’s schoolchildren.

“When you look at all four elementary schools they offer the same curriculum and same art, physical education, library and guidance resources,’’ Deffenbaugh said.

A committee of nine principals and parents and Superintendent Robin Crowder as an ex-oficio member will begin meeting in the next couple of weeks to look at the particulars.

Grant said the last time redistricting happened another city elementary school was strapped for room.

“At that time William Perry was using every available space,’’ she said.