HAZELWOOD, Mo. – The Hazelwood School Board has decided to redistrict Jana Elementary School students to other schools. The move left parents disappointed and frustrated. An independent report found high levels of radioactive contamination throughout the school.
“During the week of November 14 through 18, parents and staff will receive final notifications of new school assignments,” said Betsy Rachel, Hazelwood School District Board of Education president.
This was not what PTA President Ashley Bernaugh wanted.
“I am asking for you to reconsider your decision to split up our Jana Elementary School,” Bernaugh said.
She said parents hoped the school board would hold a vote in public.
“We don’t feel like this is a good thing for education because it could cause an increased number of students to teacher ratios,” Bernaugh said. “And will disrupt the already learning classrooms that have already been established.”
She said the hope was to access one of two already existing school properties.
“The first one that we believe would be the most viable solution would be the Hazelwood Opportunity Center,” Bernaugh said.
The second was Arrowpoint Elementary. The board said it considered those plans, but determined redistricting was the best option.
“Moving our students to the Opportunity Center would place a hardship on parents for transportation,” Rachel said.
Jana Elementary School students will be redistricted to Barrington Elementary, Brown, Coldwater, McCurdy, or Walker Elementary.
Students will report to those redistricted schools on Nov. 28.
The Army Corps of Engineers continues its testing at Jana Elementary School, taking structure surveys and samples of soil from a minimum of 45 locations around the school.
The Army Corps of Engineers said it is coordinating with the Department of Energy to conduct a peer review of their work, with preliminary results to be available within the next two weeks.