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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Chinese site uses Medford domain name for car scam ... Medford teen sentenced for assaulting baby ... Mercy Flights debuts new helicopter ... Chinese site uses Medford domain name for car scam ... Medford teen sentenced for assaulting baby ... Mercy Flights debuts new helicopter ... PUBLIC EDUCATION Phoenix-Talent schools OK open enrollment policy Comment By Tony Boom for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Tony Boom for the Mail Tribune Posted Feb. 16, 2015 at 12:01 AM By Tony Boom for the Mail Tribune Posted Feb. 16, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News PHOENIX — Students who want to move to or stay in Phoenix-Talent schools but live outside district boundaries will have an easier path to gain their goal. District board members Thursday approved an open enrollment policy for the first time. “Many of the students that are in the district already will take advantage of this,” said Superintendent Teresa Sayre. Staff has identified 30 students who might enroll. State statues allow districts to offer open enrollment from March 1 to April 1 for the following year without having to gain permission for transfer from the student’s district of residence. “It would also be open to anyone else,” noted board member Dawn Watson. There is no way to estimate how many students currently in other districts might use the option to enroll, said Sayre. “I kind of feel like we have a dynamite district, so we should open it up,” said board member Rick Nagle. He unsuccessfully urged the board to adopt such a policy several years ago. Sayre identified three groups of students who might participate: Students whose parents have moved into another district during the school year. Statutes allow them to remain until the end of the school year, but they must attend in their new district the next year. Families that already have a student in the district and want a sibling, such as a kindergartener, to attend the same school even though they live outside the district. Students of district staff members who live outside the district. A two-way immersion program where students learn in English and Spanish might bring transfers into Talent Elementary School, Principal Curt Shenk said during a break after the board approved the change. The Ashland School District has offered open enrolment for several years, but the Medford School District does not. Phoenix-Talent schools will also continue to offer inbound transfers through the district's current program after the April 1 deadline. Parents must apply and get permission from their residence district for a student to attend. “A lot of districts have chosen to close down their transfers,” said Sayre. The Phoenix-Talent district limits the numbers of transfers it accepts under the present program. Applications have exceeded those numbers previously, and students were selected through a lottery, Sayre said. Board members were also told that going to a full-day kindergarten setup might result in a cost saving for the district, which presently has three-quarter time kindergarten, with one-third of the cost paid through a Title I federal grant. “Every indicator is that the state does intend to pay for full-day kindergarten,” said Sayre. The district could then direct the grant money to other approved Title 1activities. It would save money by not operating a separate bus to take kindergartners home. Kindergarten teachers would go from three -quarter to full-time status. Orchard Hill, Talent and Phoenix elementary schools each have three kindergarten teachers. Approval for the move will be sought at the next board meeting with the caveat that it be rescinded if state support does not materialize, Sayre said. In other business: Nate Shinn was appointed to fill the position of board member Bob Kerlinger, who resigned. Shinn had previously served on the board 12 years. The term of office will end June 30. Four candidates sought the appointment. Tony Boom is a freelance writer living in Ashland. Reach him at [email protected] By Tony Boom for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Tony Boom for the Mail Tribune Posted Feb. 16, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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