Stuttgart officials struggle to find a solution for crowded classrooms at Patch, Panzer caserns

[unhappycamper]

Fifth-grader Bryn Popovich, center, and schoolmates skip rope on the playground at Patch Elementary School in Stuttgart, Germany. One option for expanding the school calls for building more classrooms on the playground.


Stuttgart officials struggle to find a solution for crowded classrooms at Patch, Panzer caserns
By Charlie Coon, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Monday, October 22, 2007


STUTTGART, Germany — Garrison and school leaders in Stuttgart are looking at ways to build more classrooms to lessen the crowding caused in part by the new U.S. Africa Command.

Expansion at Patch Elementary School at Patch Barracks, which in 13 months grew from 476 students to around 600, is under particular scrutiny.

One plan presented last week that caused furrowed brows from the school principal and others called for building four classrooms on a large portion of the playground.

Another proposal would expand Boeblingen Elementary-Middle School at nearby Panzer Casern. At the start of last school year, some students there didn’t have desks.

The Army Garrison Stuttgart commander, Col. Richard M. Pastore Jr., is expected to review the options after he returns next week from a lengthy out-of-town assignment.

“(Pastore) hasn’t had a lot of time to view the options on the table now or those that will come in,” said Larry Reilly, a garrison spokesman.


Rest of article at: http://stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=49693