Lisa Tuttle-Huff, superintendent of the rural Butler County school system, said two reasons are motivating the move: Overcrowding and the desire to give sixth-graders more individualized attention.
Huff met with a dozen school residents at a public meeting at the elementary school and spent her time talking about the factors backing the move with no one raising criticism.
“We want to put an emphasis back on middle school,” said Huff, who explained the sixth-graders will have little contact with seventh- and eighth-graders in the same wing.
“Scheduling will be (off-setting), and they will not be in the hallways at the same time as high school students and will have their own lunch time.
“The sixth grade hallway will be upstairs … this will assure the sixth graders are isolated from the high school students."
The change does not require school board approval and will be in place when classes at Madison open in August for the 2019-20 school year.
The move also frees up classroom space in the elementary wing to add a needed preschool class, said Huff.
There are 881 students in the elementary wing’s pre-K through sixth-grade classes, but next year school officials project there will be 769 students in pre-K through fifth grade.
“Sixth graders are too old to be in elementary school. And if this keeps them having another (tax) levy to build, I’m for it,” said Wilson.
Fellow parent Sara Tolson said she also backs the plan.
“It’s a good transition to get the kids ready for what’s to come later in high school,” said Tolson.
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