Norwich — Norwich should preserve neighborhood schools, with equal classroom sizes, smaller class sizes for labs, outdoor play areas and the latest technology, several parents told consultants studying the city's school facilities in preparation for a potential referendum in November on any new construction or renovations.

“Smart phone, smart watch, smart TV, smart kids,” one parent wrote on a note paper turned into Doreen Marvin, project director of LEARN, the regional education agency that is part of a three-way partnership hired by the School Facilities Review Committee to make recommendations on restructuring the schools.

About 15 people — parents mixed with committee members and school staff — met in small groups to discuss specific features of existing school buildings and what they would like to see in the future.

Parents started the discussion by staunchly defending the neighborhood school concept, especially for elementary schools. They said they wanted schools closer to home, with outdoor playgrounds where children could play and parents congregate. They said it's important for parents to get to know their children's friends' parents.

Parents also want the city's two middle schools restored.

This year, the school system converted the former Teachers Memorial Middle School into a sixth-grade academy, sending all sixth-graders citywide to that school and all seventh- and eighth-graders to Kelly Middle School.

Melissa Cheslog, mother of two students at Kelly Middle School and two students at Samuel Huntington School, said sixth- graders “got thrown into” the new arrangement in classes with students they didn't know.

Classrooms were crowded, and it led to chaos, Cheslog and other parents said.

Laura Wedge, parent of students at Kelly, the John M. Moriarty School, Norwich Free Academy and the Marine Sciences Magnet High School in Groton, said when parents buy a house, they research the neighborhood schools before making a decision.

Then they learn instead that their children will be bused across town to a different school.

Asked if parents were interested in a centralized school campus, the meeting leaders heard a resounding: “no.” Committee Chairman and Board of Education member Dennis Slopak, who attended Thursday's meeting, has said he favors a centralized school campus.

Inside the schools, participants said they want classrooms with “four walls.” Two Norwich elementary schools were built in the era of so-called open classrooms, with wide open spaces on each floor.

The school system used state grant money to enclose some classrooms at the Uncas School.

When it came to equipping the schools, parents said they want the latest technology and enough computers for every student to have use of one.

They also want more “COWS” — computers on wheels — for teachers to use in classrooms.

Science lab classes also need to be small enough to allow effective use of lab equipment. Parents said current labs at Kelly Middle School are too crowded.

LEARN is partnered with JCJ Architecture and O&G Industries on the $150,000 consulting project to assess existing Norwich schools and make recommendations for renovations, new schools or restructured grade alignments.

Marvin said the data collection phase, including five planned forums with residents and city and school officials, is scheduled to be completed by Feb. 10.

At that point, the group will post a survey for residents on the Norwich school district's website, www.norwichpublicschools.org.

The next public forum will be held Jan. 21 at 6 p.m. at Kelly Middle School.

A forum with city leaders and department heads is scheduled for Tuesday and a session with school administrators is set for Wednesday.

The final forum on Feb. 1 is planned for the City Council and Board of Education.

c.bessette@theday.com

Twitter: @Bessettetheday