Taking a visit to New Castle

The Washington School District is taking a trip to New Castle to see how the district handled moving seventh- and eighth-graders to the high school.
The board decided Wednesday night to go to New Castle on May 27.
The move at New Castle occurred about six years ago. New Castle is one of about 140 districts in the state that has a seventh- through 12th-grade school, said Washington Superintendent Roberta DiLorenzo.
Washington is considering moving seventh- and eighth- graders to the high school as a way to consolidate resources and have a more efficient, effective program, DiLorenzo said at public hearings about the plan.
She said New Castle is similar to Washington so she thought it would be the right one for interested members of the community to visit. Community Advisory Committee members have asked for data showing how moving seventh- and eighth-graders to high school affected districts.
DiLorenzo said she told New Castle administrators that in addition to meeting with them, Washington representatives would like to meet with teachers who went through the transition.
She said administrators, teachers, school board members, City Council members, community advisory committee members and parents will be invited on the trip.
DiLorenzo said third-grade parents will be invited first because they will be affected first, based on the expected date of the move. She plans to create a flyer about the meeting and work with the district’s parent liaison to get information out to parents about the trip.
The district plans to take one bus to New Castle, and it will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis, she said.