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Principal outlines plan to move fifth grade into KMS; committee schedules follow-up
Summary
Principal Morrell presented a transition plan to move fifth graders into KMS, detailing staffing, scheduling, team structures, facilities and extracurricular offerings; the committee requested a parent informational night and one-pager summaries for families.
Principal Morrell told the Bristol Warren School Committee that the district has been planning the move of fifth grade into KMS and that the transition team includes elementary and middle-school teachers, special-education representation and administrators. Morrell said the team ran surveys of fourth through sixth families and that more than 200 responses had been received.
He outlined a schedule that preserves 55 minutes per day for both math and English-language arts, provides dedicated time for teacher common planning, and builds in elective options (art, music, band, chorus and a STEM/ART hybrid the district calls "SCENE"). Morrell described classroom placement and staffing plans: fifth-grade teams would be housed on the ground floor near grade 6, dedicated fifth-grade restrooms would be provided, and existing furniture and fixtures from underused rooms would be repurposed to avoid new costs.
Committee members and parents asked practical questions about recess versus electives, entrance and dismissal logistics, transportation seating, how support services (OT, PT) will be provided, and whether fifth graders would have separate entrances. Morrell and superintendent staff said safety considerations shaped the recommendation to limit separate entrances and that the district will host an informational night and a tour at KMS in mid-to-late January so families can see spaces and ask questions.
Multiple committee members praised Morrell’s leadership and confirmed that additional communications — including a one-page summary of work completed at each school — will be posted for parents. The committee did not take a formal vote on the transition at this meeting; staff indicated more public outreach and planning steps will precede any final operational decision.
