Wareham School Committee members and administrators got a strong message from parents and students concerned with a possible move of eighth graders to the high school next year at a Thursday evening school committee meeting:

"We don't want it."

In December, Superintendent Kimberly Shaver-Hood proposed moving the eighth grade from the middle school to the high school, saying it would provide more academic opportunities for eighth graders and help equalize the numbers between the 555-student high school and 800-some-student middle school.

Shaver-Hood, supported by High School Principal Scott Palladino and School Committee Chair Geoff Swett, gave an outline of what a possible move would entail.

Stressing repeatedly that it was not a "done deal," Shaver-Hood told those in attendance that such a move would be budget neutral, because the funding would follow the students from the middle school to the high school would balance the student load at both schools. She also said it would create many more opportunities for eighth graders to participate in both High School academic and athletic programs.

But most of the 50 or 60 parents and students in attendance weren't buying the idea of the move. Their major concerns were for the current seventh grade class, who would be making the move. This is the same class that was moved as fifth graders to the middle school, and there was strong sentiment that they should not be asked to make another jump to the high school.

Alexander Rudolpho, father of a seventh grader, said he is very concerned about his child's social interaction in the high school with older students, and asked what the administration is planning to make sure the younger children were safe.

Other parents raised the concern that the children would not be ready for such a move. Still others worried that their children would be forced again to grow up too soon by being placed in the high school setting.

"Our children have never gotten to be at the top of their school, and now they will have to wait until their senior year," one parent said.

But not everyone disagreed with the idea. Some parents and students believed the move would be beneficial. One student noted that it would open up a lot of opportunities for new classes and she was looking forward to what she apparently considered her class’ fate.

"It's going to happen anyway, and it will be a better learning experience."

Both Shaver-Hood and Palladino noted there is already considerable participation of seventh and eighth graders in high school classes and programs, and that there would be special transition programs over the summer to make sure the move from the middle School to the high school would go smoothly for students and families.

Palladino said the best model he has seen for this type of change is Dennis-Yarmouth High School. He said the school’s graduating senior class this year is the same class who made the initial move as eighth graders, and their principal, Ken Jenks, claimed it was the "best move they have ever made."

Swett described additional reasons for making the move now. He explained that Wareham High School enrollment is shrinking faster than the elementary and middle school because there are more opportunities for high school students in the region, and Wareham needs to improve its opportunities for students and make the High School a "school of choice."

Shaver-Hood said the administration will be conducting a questionnaire survey with all seventh graders to get their feelings about a possible move. Parents asked that the survey include at least one question that asked if they wanted to make the early move to the high school. Swett promised the parents that they would make the results of the survey public as soon as it was completed.

No time-frame was provided as to when a decision would be made. Swett would only say that it needs to be done soon. He said the process will require Shaver-Hood to make her decision and bring the decision to the School Committee for approval.