Beginning in the 2020-21 school year, the Gorham School Department will shift K-5 attendance zones to reduce enrollment at Great Falls and Village Elementary Schools and channel additional growth towards Narragansett Elementary School. Modular expansion now under construction at that school will have added six new classrooms and a new cafeteria space by the time students return from summer vacation.

“These changes are being made to address the very real issues associated with our growing student population,” Superintendent Heather Perry said, “and if left unchecked would result in large class sizes and too little space for necessary support programs.”

Over the past five years the district has added nearly 300 more K-5 students. Planned modular expansion at Narragansett School will allow for additional growth until a state-approved new elementary school could be built on that site. According to Perry, this 10- to 15-year plan should prevent the need for another shift in attendance zones.

The largest impact will be on families living to the east of Gray Road. Eighty-four students will be moved from Great Falls School and nine will move from Village School. Parents received a letter from the superintendent explaining the move and outlining plans for the transition.

“I want you to know that the entire K-5 staff and administrative team of all three schools have established a goal to make this transition as smooth as possible,” Perry wrote.

Elementary principals have called each family affected by the change to answer any questions. Narragansett School principal Cynthia Remick reached out to share information, welcome the students to their new school, and begin the transition process. In addition, P.I.E. meetings were planned at each of the three schools so that Perry could meet with parents to explain the reasons for changing the attendance zones and answer questions. More detailed information is available on Perry’s blog at gorhamsuperintendent.blogspot.com.