Cradlerock Splits In 2011

From HoCo schools:

Cradlerock School, Howard County's only prekindergarten to Grade 8 school, will be returned to an elementary and middle school configuration effective July 1, 2011, according to a report presented by Chief Academic Officer Linda Wise and approved by the Board of Education last Thursday. Phase 1 of the transition year begins immediately with the appointment of separate administrative teams to serve the lower and upper school grades.

Principal Jason McCoy will serve as administrator of the lower school and Jennifer Peduzzi, currently Principal of Patapsco Middle School, has been appointed as administrator of the upper school. Each administrative team will work with staff, students, and parents to plan for a smooth transition to two schools next summer.

This first phase also includes the establishment of transition teams, the development of a transition plan, the development of two school improvement plans, and the implementation of appropriate transition activities. During the transition year, official Maryland State Department of Education and Howard County Public School System documents will continue to list Cradlerock as one Prekindergarten - Grade 8 school.

Phase 2 begins July 1, 2011 with the separation of the lower and upper school components into two schools. The transition team will make decisions such as the names for the two schools, school mascots, and school colors. From July 1, 2011 forward, official state and HCPSS documents will identify what was formerly one school as two schools - an elementary and a middle school.

The school's current configuration presents several barriers to success, according to the report. The transition to two schools will remove those barriers and support efforts to improve student achievement and behavior.