FORT WAYNE, Ind. (Indiana's NewsCenter) - Studying in a trailer instead of a classroom. It's happening at one local elementary school, and it has some parents outraged.
Nearly 50 fifth graders at Waynedale Elementary will spend this upcoming school year in two, 950 sq. ft. trailers worth around $160,000 each. The trailers were purchased from Innovative Modular Solutions and approved by the school board.
April and Matt Wolfe, parents of three Waynedale Elementary students, say it's a safety concern. They worry about how securely the trailers will be, but FWCS officials say they will remain locked and secured at all times.
Officials say plans for emergency weather situations are being put into place, but the Wolfes say they're concerned about children walking back and forth to the trailers in bad weather.
They're also worried about the kids walking by themselves to the main school building, since only one adult will be in the trailer at a time.
FWCS officials say it's not that uncommon. There are two other schools in the district and many more around the county that use trailers for extra space. In many cases, they say teachers and students prefer to be in the trailers, because they have air conditioning and other amenities.
The real issue, says April Wolfe, is overcrowding. "They closed Pleasant Center Elementary saying it was unnecessary, because there was going to be plenty of room at Harrison Hill, Waynedale, and Maplewood Elementaries, and now there's an overcrowding issue."
It's a temporary fix, and something already being talked about at the administrative level, officials say.
Krista Stockman is the Spokesperson for FWCS. She says, "We're starting to talk about a facilities plan and looking at a long term plan for student boundaries, student enrollment, our buildings - those kinds of things."
But the Wolfe family says they've lost faith in the school system and hope next time administrators and parents can work together towards solutions that will most benefit the students.
For the full story, see the attached video.
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