Schools / Education news

Members of the city’s school board, after a lengthy discussion on whether to establish a fundamental school, delayed action until the matter could be further studied.

Board members said that any decision would have been premature, since they could not agree on what a fundamental school should be.

“I need a better definition of a fundamental school before I can even begin to consider this,” Trustee Nancy L. Blumenthal said.

The issue was raised by board member Helena Rutkowski, who proposed that the Franklin School campus be converted to a school that would focus on “back to basics” instruction in English only, with extra attention paid to patriotism and discipline.

But some members were concerned that such a curriculum would exclude such programs as anti-drug education or performing arts classes. Another concern was the potential cost, as officials estimated that about $1.1 million to $1.3 million would be needed to reopen the school.

The district would also lose money because the Franklin campus, which was closed in 1994, brings in $100,000 from a lease with Head Start, a federally funded program for low-income preschool students.

Ultimately, the board agreed to study the issue further through a committee and host several “town hall” style meetings.