Torrington Public Schools is preparing for a sweeping redistricting plan that will go into effect during the 2025-2026 school year. The plan aims to create more efficient spaces with more room for storage and learning.
While several schools will remain unchanged, including Torrington High School, Torringford Elementary, and Vogel-Wetmore Elementary, others will undergo significant transformations. Torrington Middle School will now only hold seventh and eighth graders, while Torrington Intermediate School will become grades 4 -6. As for Southwest School, it will be repurposed into a new K-3 elementary school which will help reduce overcrowding in the lower grades. One of the largest changes will be Forbes School turning into FAST Academy, Forbes Alternative School and Tutoring Academy.
The redistricting plan includes a clear rationale for the changes to the three early elementary schools. Both Vogel-Wetmore and Torringford currently have large numbers of students in kindergarten through third grade. To reduce this strain, two classes from each grade level will be removed from both schools and placed at Southwest. This will help balance the student population across the three schools.
Forbes School will be repurposed into FAST Academy, which is hoped to include a 7-12 Alternative School for students who need a different setting. This school will run on a shortened schedule, leaving right after they eat lunch, and offer classes in Math, English Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, and PE. The last period of the day will serve as prep and planning time for teachers. The program also aims to include job coaching and shadowing opportunities with teacher mentors.
Additionally, the district’s 18-22 Year Old Program which is currently housed at East School will instead be housed at FAST Academy. It will also serve as a center for expelled students in grades 7-12, offering tutoring or online coursework in small classroom settings of no more than three students per room. These sessions will be led by current district tutors, with assistance available from alternative program teachers.
Beyond its academic role, the FAST Academy building will be used to store district records and host professional development sessions for staff throughout the year.
The total cost for operating FAST Academy, with all the required staffing and equipment, is estimated at $649,950, but cost savings help to reduce this expense. Currently, the district spends $160,000 on tuition for expelled student programs and $30,000 on tutors. With an anticipated $259,000 in transportation savings and reductions in outside costs, the district expects the final cost to be approximately $200,950, an amount that will be covered by the district’s Alliance budget.
