With a class schedule and yellow Hollenbeck T-shirt in hand, Robert Kelly got to see his new middle school Saturday after making the decision to leave Normandy and transfer to Francis Howell.
“It’s going to be a long day,” said Robert, who will be in eighth grade with 10 others transferring. “But it’s worth it.”
While Robert got to meet his principal and get a tour of the school, he and his mother are waiting to find out exactly what time his day will start. The first bell rings at Hollenbeck at 7:20 a.m., and he and others from Normandy will be boarding buses early in St. Louis County to get to the schools in St. Charles County on time.
The deadline to sign up to transfer passed on Thursday. Officials immediately began the long process of placing students who requested to leave the unaccredited Normandy and Riverview Gardens districts and go to higher-performing schools.
The process was mostly complete Saturday, with 2,400 students placed. Staff was still working to find schools for about 200 more students, but assured parents there was plenty of space.
Those who requested Francis Howell were asked to come out and officially enroll Saturday and Sunday after they were notified Friday they had a spot.
Under the law, the student’s home district is responsible for paying tuition and transportation costs to the new district — which could drain Normandy of money before the end of the school year. Normandy chose to send buses to Francis Howell, and all 475 students who requested transfer there were assigned places on Friday.
Riverview Gardens chose the Mehlville and Kirkwood districts, and because the demand for those seats was greater than the available spaces identified by administrators there, the lottery process took longer. All told, Mehlville and Kirkwood administrators expect to fill all of the spots — about 218 and 175, respectively.
Just as some former Normandy students were off checking out their new schools, hundreds went to Normandy High School on Saturday for a back-to-school rally.
Shaconnie Robinson said she couldn’t see sending her kids more than 20 miles away for school. She is worried about Normandy losing that money, but she has hope.
“Right now, it’s a big hit. This is the school I went to,” she said. “Maybe they’ll get their accreditation back.”
Lakeishia Monroe is the legal guardian of her niece, but she didn’t know until after the deadline that the girl would be staying with her this year. Now, her niece will start as a freshman at Normandy High.
“I’m scared, but at least it’s close to home,” Monroe said.
Don Senti, executive director of Cooperating School Districts of Greater St. Louis, said staff members working on the placement process Saturday were calling those families who did not get their preferred school district. Because some did not note a second choice on their applications, staff members were asking for one, or whether they wanted to stay in their home district. Parents have until noon Monday to go to csd.org and make a choice. Staff also said will be no other options for school-provided transportation.
Normandy Superintendent Ty McNichols said he had heard from about 10 people Saturday who rescinded their applications.
Meanwhile, in St. Charles County, Savion Johnson, 13, was excited about the gym at Hollenbeck.
“It’s big,” he said. His mother said it was his decision to transfer. He said Normandy Middle had “too many things going on, like fighting.”
Classes in Francis Howell begin Thursday. Transfer students also were invited to a transition day on Tuesday for the middle and high schools. And at Hollenbeck, each of the 38 transfer students will be paired with a student to help them adjust, just as the school does with all new students.
Robert’s mother, Kellie Kelly, said she loved what she saw at Hollenbeck on Saturday. She wanted the principal to know she was an involved parent, and she asked the school staff to call her anytime. She said Robert made the decision to go to Francis Howell after checking it out online.
“I want the best for him,” she said. “And I think we’re going to have a good year.”
