Howard County's superintendent will begin the transition next month to turn the county's only pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade facility into separate elementary and middle schools in July 2011.
Superintendent Sydney L. Cousin unveiled his plan Thursday to split Cradlerock School. He has said that the students were not meeting standards on state tests.
Parents have complained that their children at Cradlerock did not show satisfactory academic growth.
According to Cousin's plan, separate administrative teams will lead the elementary and middle school levels, beginning July 1. The teams will engage students, staff and parents in a two-phase transition. The first is intended to ensure that the school has a smooth opening, Cousin said, with other transition activities to be carried out during the 2010-2011 school year. The second phase will begin July 1, 2011, when the one school officially becomes two.
"I think that the plan for Cradlerock is one that we have carefully scrutinized," said Cousin, who made the final decision. "We do not want to rush to solutions. We will have the opportunity to include parents, staff and the community. It will result in restructuring Cradlerock to be the best that it can be."
This summer, the school system will establish teams composed of parents, administrators and staff to develop a school plan that will be implemented in phases. The goal is to implement all of the plans for the restructured schools by the start of the 2011 school year, Cousin said. "That gives us a year to carry out the plan."
Under the reorganization, Jason McCoy, the current principal of Cradlerock School, will become the principal of Cradlerock Elementary. Jennifer Peduzzi, now principal at Patapsco Middle School, will become principal of Cradlerock Middle.
Cousin said he was looking for a strong instructional leader to head the middle school.
"Jen Peduzzi has demonstrated over the years that she is such a person," Cousin said. "We have every confidence that she will be a fine administrator at Cradlerock."
McCoy, the principal at Cradlerock for the past five years, says he favors Cousin's plan.
"I think the recommendation is very sound," said McCoy, who has worked in the school system for 19 years. "It allows us to have time to transition into two separate schools. I look forward to working with the new administrator. It allows us to provide focus and collaboration. It allows us to have a smooth transition as well as increasing focus."
McCoy said he looks forward to working alongside Peduzzi.
"She and I have a good rapport with each other," he said. "Certainly, I welcome her coming to Cradlerock School."
McCoy said he does not view the decision as a setback.
"I really appreciated the opportunity," he said. "For me as a principal, it has been a very positive experience of being principal of a pre-K to eight school. I know that I would not have traded this experience for anything in the world. It has been a wonderful professional opportunity. I look forward to being more hands-on with initiatives."
McCoy said Cousin's plan was well-received by staff when they learned the news Tuesday.
"We have a committed staff," McCoy said. "We have people who want to be here at Cradlerock School. We have good instruction going on. We are well aware of our challenges, but that is not to negate our growth and instrumental changes we have made of over the years. My staff works hard and is dedicated to the community."