Parents tell East Stroudsburg board to pause redistricting plans; district says it will investigate options
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Summary
Public commenters from Resica Elementary urged the board not to redistrict students to North, citing transportation delays, loss of extracurricular opportunities and lack of notification about a feasibility survey; district leaders said boundary investigations will proceed as data-gathering, not as immediate changes.
Two Resica-area parents urged the East Stroudsburg board on Feb. 23 to rethink or pause proposals that could redistrict elementary students to the North campus, saying the feasibility study’s outreach and potential impacts on transportation and extracurricular access are underaddressed.
Danielle McCormack, Resica PTO co-president and an East Stroudsburg South alumna, told the board she and other parents oppose moving students who currently feed to South to the North campus. "Resica families do care where their children attend school after leaving Resica," McCormack said, adding that long bus rides (she described delays of 30 to 40 minutes) and reduced access to after-school programs would make North impractical for many families. She said some families would consider charter, cyber, or homeschooling options rather than be reassigned.
Kristen Willis, a Resica parent, said she did not receive district communication about the feasibility survey and observed that only 18 families appeared to have participated, which she attributed to poor outreach. "I have not received any communication from the district about the feasibility survey," Willis said. She warned that redirecting Resica students to North would reduce access to local extracurriculars and make a pathway to MCTI less viable for some families.
Superintendent Maggie Vitale and other board members repeatedly characterized the current effort as investigatory: the administration will produce maps, run bus-route scenarios, estimate class sizes, and present options for board deliberation. Vitale said the board had asked staff to "investigate boundary lines" and explicitly stated that investigation does not equal an immediate boundary change. The superintendent estimated the work could take roughly six months, with any implemented changes not going into effect before the 2027''2028 school year.
Board members acknowledged the concerns and urged thorough community engagement and clearer communication about feasibility surveys and next steps. The public feedback and the administration's investigation timeline were recorded as part of the meeting minutes.