Frequently Asked Questions About Olson Elementary School

Information current as of December 21, 2007.

1. When will the new school have a name?: The Board of Education will decide in March 2008. The full timeline for this process is on the district web site at: http://www.mmsd.org/topics/newschool/timeline.pdf
2. Who will attend the new school?: The School Board will make a decision about which boundaries will change. It is expected the Long Range Planning Committee will make a recommendation to the full board at the March 3, 2008, Board of Education meeting. The current Proposed Plan A is on the district web site at: http://www.madison.k12.wi.us/boe/longrange/0708/Plan_A_12-10-2007.pdf
3. How will boundary changes affect my child's learning experience?: All MMSD schools are held to consistently high expectations for student learning. One indicator of this is the performance of students on the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exams (WKCE), administered annually in grades 3 through 8 and 10. Performance results from the most recent testing available from the Wisconsin Department of Instruction show consistent performance across schools in areas affected by proposed boundary changes. Please review these data here
4. How many students will attend the new school, and will it be at capacity right away?: In the current PROPOSED Plan A, 322 students would be moved to the new school for the 2008-09 school year. The new school would be less than 50% of the approximately 700 student enrollment capacity to allow for future growth.
5. How will parents and guardians be notified if their child(ren) will attend the new school?: Once the boundaries for the new school are established, every family in the new attendance area will receive a letter from the Madison Metropolitan School District notifying them that their child(ren) will be attending the new school.
6. What will be done to help ease the transition for students changing schools?: Once the new principal is hired, he/she will work with the schools affected to establish transition activities for all students who will be attending the new school. For similar situations in the past, there have been special assemblies, farewell activities, open houses, and other community-building activities.
7. Will there be any children who are "grandfathered" and be able to remain at their current school?: Students who will be fifth graders for the 2008-09 school year will be given the choice to go to the new school or to remain at their current school. Younger siblings will attend the new school.
8. Have bus routes been established yet?: Once the boundaries are established, the MMSD Transportation Division will work on establishing bus routes. As part of this process, decisions will be made about who is eligible for transportation, and who is in the walking area. This information will be included in the letter sent to families.
9. Will the new school be an early start (7:45) or a late start (8:30) school?: The start time for the new school will be determined once the boundaries are established. Bus routes are based upon the most cost-effective way to pair routes with existing routes. This information will be included in the letter to families.
10. What middle and high school will the new school feed into?: This decision will be made at the same time the board votes on the boundary change. In the most current PROPOSED plan, the recommended middle school is Jefferson, and the recommended high school is Memorial.
11. When will the staff be hired?: As a part of the regular process that all schools go through in the spring, teachers will be allowed to apply for a transfer to the new school, and then any remaining positions will be filled by hiring outside of the district throughout the spring and summer.
12. How can I become a part of the PTO?: Once the school opens in the fall, the principal will hold a meeting, inviting all families to attend. A process will be established to nominate and elect officers at that time.
13. When is the building scheduled to be complete?: Construction is scheduled to be complete by the end of July 2008.
14. Will there be an opportunity to tour the new building before school starts?: The building must receive a certificate of occupancy prior to the general public being allowed to enter. The projected timeline is mid-August. The principal will work with building services to establish tours at that time.

Olson Elementary School Information