By Linda Conner Lambeck

WESTPORT — Sarah Webb and her family moved to town during the COVID pandemic in 2020. The schools were a big factor in the decision.

Now a second grader, her eldest daughter had a rough transition when she started at Long Lots Elementary School, but is now thriving.

“The teaching and culture there … Whatever they are doing, they are doing it right,” said Webb, who hopes her younger child will share the same experience after starting kindergarten in the fall.

But a proposed redistricting plan that targets the neighborhood where Webb lives stands in the way.

The Board of Education is considering a proposal advanced by Supt. of Schools Thomas Scarice to start the process of balancing resources and students across the district’s five elementary schools by shifting a neighborhood on the west side of Roseville Road between Cross Highway and the Post Road from the Long Lots district to Saugatuck Elementary School starting with the next school year.

Long Lots, which is preparing to be rebuilt, is characterized as overcrowded. Saugatuck has room to spare.

The boundary shift would impact as many as 51 students at Long Lots now and, parents say, younger siblings of those children who have not yet entered school.

On Oct 10, parents, including Webb, lobbied the school board to “grandfather” all those children and allow them to remain at Long Lots.

By doing so, only families new to the district or with no children yet at the school would be affected.

Last week, the parents took the campaign online, launching a petition on change.org.

“We, the undersigned parents, guardians, and concerned residents of Westport, respectfully urge the Westport Board of Education to support the grandfathering of all existing students, including their siblings, in light of the proposed elementary school redistricting that will affect 50 children currently enrolled at Long Lots Elementary in Phase 1.”

The group also wants the 36 children currently enrolled at Kings Highway, who would be moved in a second phase of the redistricting plan, potentially in 2027, offered the ability to stay at that school as well.

“While we recognize the need for these adjustments for the benefit of the community, we firmly believe that the emotional and educational stability of our children must remain a top priority,” states the petition, which was started by Webb.

As of early Tuesday, there were 259 signatures on the petition. It will be presented to the Board of Education at its Thursday meeting.

Webb said forcing children to transition to new schools could disrupt their social networks, educational continuity and overall well-being.

Webb said the idea behind the petition is to reach a larger audience and give the broader community a chance to weigh in on the redistricting plan.

“I think lots of people are not aware of the situation,” she said.

Webb said she and other parents understand a long-term redistricting plan is needed, but that even recent enrollment numbers presented to the board suggest an immediate change, affecting such a marginal number of students, is not necessary.

At the school board’s last meeting, Assistant Supt. John Bayers said the district might have to add two teachers if redistricting occurs because of where enrollment numbers fall.

Without redistricting, Long Lots is projected to have 604 students next fall and 29 classroom sections, the same as this year. Saugatuck, with no redistricting, would have 400 students and 20 sections, one fewer than this year.

With redistricting — and no grandfathering — Long Lots would have 546 students next fall and need 27 classroom sections. Saugatuck would grow to 459 students and perhaps need 24 sections based on where the students fall in each grade level.

“I just feel the board needs to do this the right way,” said Webb. “When you look at the current state of enrollment for next year, it doesn’t add up.”

The detrimental impact on students will be greater than the gain, she said.

Webb acknowledges some families may choose to have their children move anyway, particularly when work on a new Long Lots places the existing school in the middle of a construction zone. But “let us make that decision,” Webb said.

She, for one, dreads having to tell her daughter, she may have to change schools. “She hugs [Long Lots Principal Kim] Ambrosio daily,” said Webb. “I’m desperately worried this is going to set her back academically. She’s going to shut down again and we will have to start all over again.”

Webb also looks forward to the open forum parents were promised before a decision on a redistricting plan is made in November.

Freelance writer Linda Conner Lambeck, a reporter for more than four decades at the Connecticut Post and other Hearst publications, is a member of the Education Writers Association.