If you all go to the district website and read the information that the boundary line committee gathered regarding possible school closing you will find out that the committee reccomended not to close any school because it is not possible to make all the displaced students fit in the remaining 11 schools - and keep them within 2 miles of their homes. There are not enough classrooms available.

First of all, Congratulations to Kennedy, the staff, the students, and the parents! We, as a community, should be proud of this achievement. Now, I can't believe what I'm reading from some of you. JohnWicket, are you seriously saying that because we are a "middle-class" town we shouldn't expect more than that from our kids? What does changing the name of the school have to do with saving it. Wow! Yes, we do need kids "garnering national recognition." How about good for them? How do you think these kids feel? I can only imagine that they are looking at this as an honor and not a disservice. Also, they shouldn't close Kennedy or any other school in this area. These kids and staff will NOT do the same anywhere. How can you expect that the same level of teaching and learning will happen in a new building with new teachers, new friends, new surrounding, new everything? These are elementary kids we are talking about. Do you realize the social impact that closing "their" school will have on them. We can NOT put a price tag on this!

I have not been home yet to read the editorial.....I really hope it says something about parent’s participation.

How much would the Milton District benefit from the closing of Kennedy School? Would there be a gradual exodus of residents on the Northeast side? Could the school be saved if we changed its name to Reagan or Bush Elementary School? Does this town really need over-achieving kids garnering national recognition? This is a middle-class community and we should all be aspiring to be only "average". If we aim low enough, nothing much can be expected of us, and in some minds that is success.

When things go right is it only the teachers and staff that made it happen? Not giving any credit to hard working parents that help make it happen is a major insult to all of the hard working teachers, staff and parents. Knowing this school as I do I am certain many on the school staff will tell you the same. This school is able to win awards like this because the majority leaves Politics at the door and truly makes it a total learning environment.

I wonder how the staff would feel about their award if they heard your expert conclusion that it really just boils down to....how did you write it...DEMOGRAPHICS? I understand it is the staff and not the building. My point is that the building makes no difference. The staff will reproduce this product at another building or school even if it is closed. Try for one second to look behind you and notice the knuckle trails in the sand before you comment again.

I make a good point. You name call me using profanity, then call ME a troll? Are you serious? Where do they grow you? Crawl back under the rock you call home.

DEMOGRAPHICS. Do any of you understand what that means? There are other schools in the city that have more poverty and crime in their neighborhoods..wake up!

jv93 and sigma: Don't be ass'. If you had half a brain you would know that it was the staff and the area they draw kids from not the bricks or air supply. Internet trolls!

Instead of worrying about this school.. Why dont we try to get all the others up to its level?

As the first post also said.. What does the building itself have anything to do with this?

Kennedy has a building set up in four neighborhoods. Kids of different age groups are in separate areas that fit their stages. They also do looping, where kids have the same teacher for 1st/2nd and 3rd/4th grades. The neighborhood set up works well with this. Looping allows them to get off to a quick start the second year since everyone knows the rules, and expectations and the teachers know the students. So in addition to a staff with a mixture of experienced and younger teachers who work well together, I think the building design and the looping (that works better due to the building design) make a difference.

Perhaps the teachers from all of the other schools in Janesville should attend classes at Kennedy to learn some techniques.

Jv93: you're right it's not the building but a staff as a whole. If you break up a staff that has worked well together you're not necessarily going to get the same results elsewhere. You would have to move the entire Kennedy staff to another building to make it work.

I'm curious Greg. What does the physical plant of the school have to do with student achievement? Special bricks? Maybe they put adderall in aerosol form in the air exchange system similar to the rumors that circulate about the Vegas casinos and 100% oxygen? Of course they should continue to consider Kennedy for closure. Whatever garnered the award would be achieved at another school when staff are dispersed to other facilities.