2 schools plan K-8 switch in '07

Beginning as soon as fall 2007, sixth-graders will no longer enjoy "senior" status at two Salt Lake City elementary schools.

After months of emotional and passionate debate about converting some of Salt Lake's east-side elementaries to kindergarten through eighth grades, Nibley Park and Whittier are on their way to the new configuration.

The Salt Lake City Board of Education gave the green light Tuesday night for the two schools to begin transitional planning and design for K-8.

School board member Heather Bennett said she was "hurt by the expressions of distrust" from some community members during recent months and hopes those feelings will subside as plans go forward.

Since early fall, 11 schools and communities that feed into Hillside and Clayton middle schools conducted a district-spurred investigation into the K-8 concept.

Both the Clayton and Hillside facilities will be rebuilt within the next three or four years, and district leaders said it was an opportune time to look at different ways to serve students.

Doug Nelson, vice president of the Salt Lake Board of Education, said the district has a goal to expand choices to families in the district. Offering K-8 as an alternative would be another option for families in the district.

The project began as an exploration to gauge interest in K-8. School teams held community meetings to solicit feedback and see if any schools were open to alternative models.

District leaders said national statistics show middle-schoolers perform better in a more nurturing environment surrounded by teachers who know them — and their individual achievement levels — well.

But at most schools, the idea was not welcomed with open arms. Some parents met the proposal with passionate opposition.

A number of parents spoke out against the concept, saying it was a bad idea to have such a broad range of ages under the same roof. Board members received many letters and e-mails in opposition to the idea. And community members lined up at board meetings to make their disapproval known.

School board member Kristi Swett said at times she felt like a human dartboard.