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Harmony School offers parents new drop-off point

MILTON — Harmony Elementary School parents will be able to drop off their children in the school parking lot after busing ends for many of the children this year.

The Milton School Board approved a plan Monday for a drop-off point in the school's east parking lot.

Parents were concerned with the board's original plan to establish drop-off points along the streets surrounding the school instead of on school grounds.

The district will end busing for more than 100 Harmony students Oct. 6 because sidewalks have been installed in the neighborhood. The school expects many more parents to drop off their children than in previous years.

The drop-off plan will remove some playground space. The school will install a fence separating the playground and parking lot, move two basketball hoops and lengthen the sidewalk on the east end of the school.

The fence will cost $2,700, Superintendent Bernie Nikolay said. The board is working on cost estimates for the sidewalk and the basketball relocation.

The board also will consider adding blacktop to the playground to make up for the lost space.

Parents are satisfied with the new plan, said Kim Jazdzewski, who spoke against the original plan earlier this month.

"Parents are happy we can drop our kids off at school," she said.

Monday was also the night of the Milton School District annual meeting. Electors passed the proposed 2008-09 budget, which includes a 12.6 percent increase in tax levy and an estimated 7.3 percent increase in tax rate.

The district won't know its final budget until October, when it learns its official enrollment, the district's property value and the amount of state aid it will receive.