East Lyme — The Board of Education is forming a 23-member committee to develop a redistricting plan for the town's three elementary schools for 2017-18 in an effort to spread student enrollment across the schools.

The committee will be charged with devising a plan that includes an outline of revised school boundary lines, estimated costs, a rationale of educational benefits of the redistricting and the impact on the annual budget along with students and their families. 

"The Board of Education has determined that redistricting our elementary school students will provide equity for all Kindergarten through grade 4 students," according to the charge approved by the school board on Monday.  

The Elementary Schools Redistricting Ad Hoc Committee is expected to present its plan to the board by February. 

Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Newton recently sent a letter to parents informing them of the committee's creation.

During public comment after Monday's board meeting, four parents asked questions about the redistricting process, asked for more transparency, or expressed concerns that the timeline was too quick. Some said students are already comfortable at their schools and could have difficulty adjusting to a new school, if moved.

This summer, the board rescinded a previous vote to renovate as new the Lillie B. Haynes School and refurbish Flanders Elementary School. The board had also proposed closing Niantic Center School and rebuilding Flanders Elementary School in the future.

In an interview after Monday's meeting, Newton said that due to revised enrollment projections that anticipate an increase in students, officials are looking at upgrading the town's three elementary schools, rather than consolidating them into two schools.

Newton said that to keep the three elementary schools, the district needs to achieve "balance and equity" in its student enrollment across the three schools.

This year, about 170 students attend Niantic Center School, while approximately 301 attend the Lillie B. Haynes School and 364 attend Flanders Elementary School.

Newton said that Flanders Elementary School is "at its maximum capacity," but the Flanders section of town is still growing, with new units being built at The Orchards development, for example.

He said it does not make sense for the district to build onto the Flanders School when there are at least 20 classrooms that are open at the two other schools.

Superintendent of Schools Newton, Board of Education members Candice Carlson and Al Littlefield, Director of Special Services Kim Davis, the elementary school principals, the president of the East Lyme Teachers Association, two teachers and parents from each school, and a paraprofessional from each school are among the 23 committee members.

The committee is scheduled to meet at 4:15 p.m. at the Board of Education's Central Office on Dec. 14, Dec. 20, and Jan. 4. 

k.drelich@theday.com