For the second time in six weeks, parents of children enrolled in a Manoa Valley elementary school have raised objections to having their sixth-graders move to middle school next year.

The issue has arisen for the Noelani school community in the wake of protests by Manoa Elementary parents in January that led to intervention by state superintendent Pat Hamamoto. She opted to allow the school to maintain sixth grade through 2013 to give parents options.

This afternoon, the Noelani Elementary School Community Council will evaluate whether to rescind a decision it made in June to approve moving the sixth grade to Stevenson Middle School beginning in the 2007-08 school year. The meeting is set for 3:30 p.m. in the cafeteria.

Raelene Chock, complex area superintendent for the McKinley/Roosevelt complex, said she thinks the SCC will take into consideration "what their parents have been saying" in pondering a change. But if a change is made, Chock said she would evaluate all the reasons offered before making a final decision.

The state Board of Education has mandated a gradual transition to middle schools throughout the state, with grades six through eight, but there has been no firm timetable set. To date, about 72 elementary schools have completed the transition, while another 95 still have not.

At Noelani, a petition drive by some parents has shown support to keep sixth grade at the elementary school, with some parents saying their children are not ready to make the leap to a middle school environment.

"We don't feel middle school is a good environment for our sixth-graders," says parent Melanie Ching, who has a son in fourth grade and a daughter who was able to stay at Noelani through sixth grade. "We want to keep them at the elementary school level. ... Some of the research coming out now from the Mainland is reversing and actually looking at not doing middle schools with sixth, seventh and eighth grades, but again looking at K-8."

Noelani's acting principal, Rochelle Mahoe, said the SCC will look at whether there's new information to present to the school community that could affect the former decision. And she said Department of Education officials will explain the changes that would have to occur at the school to adequately provide for sixth-graders.

These could include establishing more time for electives and "exploratory wheel" courses that provide a larger smorgasbord of classes than offered in elementary schools. Middle schools also provide a variety of clubs for their students as well as additional sports activities, interdisciplinary teaming by teaching staff and the need for students to earn four credits in core subjects for promotion.

"It's a matter that now you would have to beef up in all areas," said Mahoe. "You don't get additional resources. You have to make those changes with your existing resources. The question comes, can those (sixth-grade) teachers do it alone or do you divert resources and support staff to help? Some schools have attempted to make those changes, and it's not the easiest."

Parent and attorney Lex Smith, who chairs the SCC, said "the good news about this is the kids will be fine either way. I was very comfortable with what I found at Stevenson and of course I'm very comfortable at Noelani."

Reach Beverly Creamer at bcreamer@honoluluadvertiser.com.