The Ypsilanti Community Schools Board of Education is considering three options for re-configuring district elementary schools, a move tied to plans to offer a balanced calendar at one school building next school year.
 
The board Monday night was briefed on the options, which include three options.
Option one: 
- Having second through eighth graders at Estabrook and Erickson elementary schools
 - Adding sixth graders at Washtenaw International Middle Academy
 - Holmes Elementary would transition to a balanced calendar in that option, at an estimated cost of $50,000 to $70,000 to the district.
 
Option two:
- Has Adams, Ford and Perry teaching pre-kindergarten through second grades
 - Erickson and Holmes configured for third through sixth grades, with Estabrook third through eighth grade.
 
 
Option three: 
- Use Adams teaching kindergarten through fifth graders
 - Estabrook housing kindergarten through eighth graders on a balanced calendar, Holmes and Erickson with second through fifth grades
 - Washtenaw International Middle Academy sixth through eighth grades.
 
Another balanced calendar option would have Erickson elementary become a K-8 school and offer year-round classes, at an estimated cost of $59,700 to $79,700. Final costs would depend on things like enrollment, and whether the state offers financial assistance to at-risk districts that want to put a pilot balanced calendar program in place.
A balanced calendar would have a shorter summer break, along with two and three weeks breaks in November, December and March. 
 
Ypsilanti Community Schools is holding a public forum on the options Thursday evening at Perry Early Learning Center.
 
Elementary Configuration Options by wemu4339
Balanced Calendar Prelim Recomm 3-31-14 by wemu4339