The plan to close Perry Middle School next year is not proving popular with some parents.

Nine parents and one student addressed the Worthington Board of Education on Monday night, asking the board to rethink the decision to send approximately 150 Perry students to McCord Middle School beginning next year. They said the decision had been made hastily and without parent input.

The decision to reduce the amount of time spent on health education in the middle schools was also questioned.

School administrators announced the decision to close Perry in February, and held a public forum to explain the plan at Kilbourne Middle School on Feb. 18.

The plan is designed to save money. In deciding to place a reduced millage levy on the November ballot following the failure of a May levy, board members chose the middle schools as one place to cut expenses.

The cost-per-pupil is higher at Worthington's middle schools than at either the high or elementary schools. The cost is also higher than in comparable districts, according to Worthington administrators.

Currently, Worthington operates four middle schools. The alternative Phoenix program, with 160 students, is located at Perry. Approximately 150 students attend the regular program at Perry.

The Phoenix program will continue in the Perry building, with plans to expand the program numbers in 2011.

The rest of the students will be transferred to McCord, where enrollment is expected to swell to 530 next year, and to 590 by 2015. The school's capacity is 700.

The enrollment at Kilbourne and Worthingway middle schools is expected to remain steady, at 335 and 360, respectively.

The assignment changes, along with the elimination of team teaching, are projected to save the district $250,000 next year and $750,000 a year each following year, according to district treasurer Jeff McCuen.

At the February meeting, administrators said that 12.5 jobs would be cut. A parent on Monday said that number has been decreased to 10.

The exact number of teachers who will lose their jobs will not be known until May, after retirements are announced, said district spokesperson Vicki Gnezda.

Some parents on Monday said they would have preferred that all of the middle schools be involved in the reassignment, but others said the main concern was that a decision had been made without involving the parents.

The approximately 250 parents who attended the Feb. 18 meeting were not given an opportunity to speak. They were permitted only to write their questions for administrators to answer. Some said their questions were ignored, others said the promise of answers being posted on the district's Web site was not fulfilled.

Concerns about changes in curriculum and organization of the school day were also not well addressed, said parent Kate Whitesel.

"I don't know anyone who wants to hear phrases like 21st century learning again," she said.

The decision had already been made before the February meeting, parent Dawn Tabata said.

Overcrowded hallways, early lunch periods, class size, and the attention to the social growth of middle school students were among her concerns.

"How will it affect children?" she asked.

Worthington Kilbourne student Joshua Cook said he was concerned about health classes being reduced from one semester to nine weeks. The class is influential with middle school students as they begin to deal with issues like drinking, smoking, and drugs, he said.

Parent Lore Dorn-Cook suggested that the number of administrators be cut instead of health education.

The Phoenix program is a "pet project" and a "sacred cow" of the administration, she said.

"It is not a good use of taxpayers' money," she said. "You are showing preference and bias."

Superintendent of Schools Melissa Conrath assured the parents that the middle school's outstanding staff will make sure there is a safe, nurturing environment at McCord, and said four or five parents will be invited to be part of a committee planning the changes.

"We will work with you as we move forward," she said.

Board president Julie Keegan said she was "sad" that the issue created mistrust.

"The channels have not worked as well as we hoped they would," she said.

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