South Kingstown parents speak out on elementary school redistricting

SOUTH KINGSTOWN, RI (WLNE)– Parents voiced their frustration Thursday evening at the South Kingstown Redistricting Committee Meeting, saying the closure of Wakefield Elementary and redistricting comes too soon.

Over 2 months ago, the South Kingstown School Committee voted unanimously on the closure of Wakefield Elementary School in 2024, reducing four elementary schools in the town to three.

The committee Thursday evening was presented with data and facts by AppGeo, a geospatial consulting firm. These facts encapsulated the district’s initiative to prioritize equity in the new map.

“It’s not fair to my child, any of the children, any of the other children in other schools who are going to be redistricted,” said Elle Noordzy, a Wakefield Elementary parent. “This should have taken place before they voted to close that school.”

Wakefield Elementary will close in 2024. The school committee cited declining enrollment over the last 10 years by 15-20%.

“They talk about budget, they need to cut the budget. They don’t talk about children and their education. There is very little talk about that,” said Viera Levitt, another Wakefield Elementary parent. She continued, “There is a talk about numbers but not the actual living creatures who enjoy walking to school.”

The South Kingstown Redistricting Committee told ABC 6 that they will continue to meet over the next month, evaluating the division of the district based on equity.

The committee and consulting firm will present a final map to the town’s school committee on April 26th.

Levitt concluded, “I worry that decisions are going to be made that will affect years and years to come without actually considering all the elements other than the budget.”