School Committee approves sixth-grade move to new middle school academy.
Amherst School Committee, Hybrid Meeting · Meeting of June 16, 2026
Amherst School Committee votes to proceed with sixth-grade move to Chestnut Street Academy. In a four-hour meeting dominated by debate over the K-6 restructuring plan, the five-member Committee voted unanimously to advance the planned fall 2026 transition after Superintendent Dr. E.
Xiomara Herman and three building principals warned that last-minute reversals would derail staffing, contracts, and operational logistics already in motion to address a 1.8 million dollar district deficit. Committee members Bridget Hynes and Sarah Marshall proposed alternatives during deliberation, but no counter-motion received a vote. The plan transfers sixth graders from Crocker Farm, Wildwood, and Fort River elementaries to the new middle school facility, consolidating the district's K-6 configuration.
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Source: the Amherst School Committee, Hybrid Meeting meeting of June 16, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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