Parents whose children could be affected by the proposed changes raised concerns about academic success, community cohesion and long-term enrollment growth as the board weighed how to manage class size disparities against the disruptive impact of boundary changes.

The discussion follows the school board’s decision to retire the current Bellefonte Elementary and Benner Elementary School buildings, two of its oldest and most deteriorated facilities, ahead of the fall 2026 opening of the district’s new multimillion-dollar elementary school.

At their previous meeting on Jan. 6, Superintendent Roy Rakszawski shared projected class sizes if all students from the closed schools were assigned to the new Bellefonte Elementary School. Those projections showed as many as 23 students per class in some grade levels at Bellefonte and Marion-Walker, prompting the school board to ask the superintendent to explore boundary adjustments that would shift some students to Pleasant Gap.

The superintendent’s recommendation, just one of several options to be considered by the board, would see nearly 40 students along Blanchard Street and in the Logan Greene, Burnham Estates and Walker Meadows neighborhoods moved to Pleasant Gap Elementary. The proposed boundary changes would equalize class sizes and have minimal impacts on bus routes.

PHOTO PROVIDED The blue-highlighted area in the top right corner of the map shows the Walker Meadows neighborhood, where 13 students currently assigned to Marion-Walker Elementary would be reassigned to Pleasant Gap Elementary.

In reshaping the boundaries, the superintendent said he prioritized limiting the number of impacted students while keeping neighborhoods intact, transferring entire sections so children in the same area would attend the same schools.

Even though the proposal was not scheduled for a vote, many parents attended the meeting to voice concerns, warning that the changes would in fact disrupt established neighborhoods, impact their children’s well-being and create practical challenges for families and the district.

Several parents said their children’s established school communities were invaluable to their families, and that splitting them would be not only difficult for young students but also a breach of trust.

“For many families, changing school assignments would disrupt established relationships among students, families and staff,” said Ashlee Swank, a Benner parent, whose child would attend Pleasant Gap under the superintendent’s proposal. “It is widely understood that with the transition to the new Bellefonte Elementary School, students and staff would move together. While it is unfortunate that two schools are closing to form one, families were assured that their children would maintain familiarity with their peers and educators during this transition.”

Others said the neighborhoods chosen were poorly suited, particularly Logan Greene, which has close ties to nearby Amberleigh, and is expected to experience significant growth in the coming years that Pleasant Gap Elementary could not accommodate.

PHOTO PROVIDED The blue-highlighted area outlines the Burnham Farm Estates and Logan Greene neighborhoods, where 24 students currently assigned to Bellefonte Elementary would be reassigned to Pleasant Gap Elementary.

“While Logan Greene and Amberleigh are distinct neighborhoods, they’re adjacent and tightly connected,” said parent Robert Phillips, of Logan Greene. “These kids have grown up together. They share a bus and have attended school together since kindergarten. They’re in the same youth leagues and organizations. They walk and bike to and from each other’s houses. They are best friends and extended family. Splitting these kids apart is an injustice.”

Dr. Michelle Yarwood, a parent and local psychologist whose child would be redistricted, echoed concerns about the impact on students.

“As a psychologist, I recognize class sizes less than 20 students has been replicated in a variety of research and has lots of lifelong positive outcomes, but I’m concerned that some of the class sizes look to be over 20 in Pleasant Gap,” said Yarwood, pointing out that under the redistricting proposal, at least one grade level at each of the three schools would exceed the recommended 20 students.

She added that research also shows, “School transitions result in several negative consequences that are academically and psychologically relevant for the student.”

She explained that in the first year after a school transition, students often experience reduced psychological well-being, including depression, anxiety, loss of self-esteem and externalizing behaviors such as aggression, anger and disrespect for authority figures. Academically, she said, students may be less engaged, less confident in their ability to learn and generally less interested in school.

“Is it reasonable for even just one student to be possibly negatively affected by this transition?” Yarwood asked.

She also expressed concern that the changes could undermine student trust in the district and about the message it sends them. Like many parents, she urged the board to consider a variety of solutions.

After nearly 90 minutes of public comment, the board discussed the proposal among its members and thanked the parents for sharing their concerns.

“Thank you all for your heartfelt and passionate comments,” School Board President Jon Guizar said. “We really do appreciate it, and that’s part of the process.”

Board members said they found parents’ concerns compelling but stressed that they did not intend to take action until all possible options had been fully considered.

“This is something we asked for,” said Board Member Jennifer Barnhart. “We wanted to look at multiple options to evaluate and make the best decision.”

Barnhart and several other board members, along with the superintendent, apologized for the distress the discussion caused families in the district — particularly children who were upset by the prospect of changing schools.

“I didn’t anticipate the impact that was presented tonight on individuals, and perhaps I should have, and I apologize for that,” said Rakszawski. “But like I said, this was meant to be a discussion and elicit public comment for input, so we appreciate that.”

Overall, the board expressed apprehension about the proposed boundary changes and discussed alternative approaches, such as phased boundary adjustments or keeping all students from the closed schools at the new Bellefonte Elementary.

“I would ask that we explore, given the comments we heard this evening, how to mitigate those concerns and maybe look at either leaving it the way it is or considering some sort of transition period,” Guizar said. “I don’t think we’re anywhere near being able to make a decision.”

Rakszawski emphasized that the board had flexibility in how it chose to proceed.

“This particular option can be implemented as is, it can be modified, it can be discarded, and we will make it work one way or another,” he said. “I want to be clear that not accepting this recommendation would not be catastrophic in any way in terms of class size and operations or teaching and learning.”

He also added that “I have no doubt that the high level of care and nurturing for your children would remain the same wherever your child attends school.”

Board member Donna Smith said that because projected class sizes were not overwhelmingly large, she was not convinced altering elementary school boundaries would be worth the cost to Benner families.

“We have asked a lot from our Benner families. They are giving up a school that a lot of them loved,” said Smith, who described herself as a Benner mom. “I think it’s really unfortunate if we ask them for this one more thing, and I’m not comfortable with that.”

The Bellefonte Area School Board will reconvene next at 7 p.m. Feb. 3, 2026, in the Bellefonte Area Middle School cafeteria.