Some parents of middle schoolers remain frustrated with the Worthington City School District's plan to merge Perry and McCord middle schools and redistrict other students into Worthingway and Kilbourne, leaving Phoenix Alternative Middle School as the lone resident of the Perry building.

Three parents said they are a part of a much larger group of parents who still have questions about the restructuring, which is expected to begin in the fall.

"If the current plan is such a good idea, why are we in such a hurry?" asked Dan Cook of board members during their meeting Monday, April 12.

He said parents need more answers than the district is providing.

"You said you wanted to disrupt the least amount of students, but how does this solve your fiscal problems and why are you ignoring the fact that the community wants to talk about other options?" he asked. "You have to look at community needs, not feeder patterns and neighborhoods. You are here to serve the public interest, not your own."

Some parents seemed concerned that redistricting always seem to occur on the west side of the district.

"There is a huge divide in this district as far as the west side and the east side and there is so much misinformation," Kelly Dahn said. "It seems like you are making all of your changes on our side of the river. You should be spreading this equally across the district, because it is very lopsided and unequal."

Kate Whitesell questioned the capacity of McCord, which will house nearly 500 students in the fall.

A district enrollment projection lists McCord at a possible 591 students within five years.

"On the McCord Web site, it lists 500 students as the capacity, not the 680 you said was the capacity," Whitesell said. "Just because you can fit 600 students into McCord doesn't mean you should. How early can you push lunch periods for students, an hour and a half after they arrive in the morning?

"I feel like I'm being robbed by my own school district and there is nothing I can do about it," she said.

Whitesell also mentioned the plan to replace current lockers at McCord with smaller lockers, so that two small lockers will fit into the place of one current locker.

"Kids are not allowed to carry their backpacks from class to class, so how will they fit all their books and belongings and backpacks into these tiny, overstuffed lockers?" she asked. "It would be different if this was the only facility you have."

Whitesell and other parents pointed out the fact that Phoenix Middle School will take up only 10 classrooms when Perry is emptied of its current students.

District administrators said there are plans to expand Phoenix, but parents wanted to know more details.

"I continue to be frustrated and angry at this board for the middle school questions we still need answered," said Amy Weirick.

"Just how much are we saving by closing Perry Middle School and how much will it cost to operate Phoenix?" she asked. "I want to know a dollar amount. It's my money. It seems incredible to me that you are going forward with this."

Whitesell also wanted to know what happens if the school holds an all-school assembly, since the gymnasium capacity at McCord is 592 students.

"I've voted for school levies for at least 15 years, but I'm not going to do it anymore," she said.

Superintendent Melissa Conrath told parents last month that a committee is being formed to help parents work out the details of the restructuring, which she said is necessary because the cost per pupil at the middle school level is more expensive than at the elementary school or high school levels.

The savings estimates on the district Web site, worthington.k12.oh.us, list $250,000 saved the first year and $750,000 a year thereafter.

The savings per pupil is listed at around $182.08 for the first year, then $522.28 per pupil the following years.

Board President Julie Keegan told parents who spoke at the meeting, "We understand parents still have questions.

"We have a plan in place to address those questions, but we still do strongly suggest you contact building principals for the details," she said. "If you don't feel you want to do that, then you can contact us at the board office."

"I feel like I'm being robbed by my own school district and there is nothing I can do about it."

--Kate Whitesell