LINCOLN –– Supt. Georgia Fortunato drew applause at a public forum Monday by announcing she will recommend the town go to a neighborhood configuration of elementary schools tied to carrying out full-day kindergarten and closing one school.

Most residents who spoke at Lincoln High School sounded positive about the direction, which came after uncertainty over how the district would accommodate shrinking six elementary schools to five by closing the Fairlawn Early Learning Center.

The neighborhood option seeks to send children to school closer to home.

Several of the 200 or so forum attendees, such as Town Councilman John Flynn, said there were surprised and pleased by the recommendation at what was the first of four planned forums.

At least a couple of residents expressed concern about closing Fairlawn, one of them crying as she spoke of how good the school has been for her child. Some people wanted to see more details once they are known: the effect on class sizes and what “partial redistricting,” as the superintendent called it, might mean for some children. Others said teachers have fostered a sense of community and provided a good experience for youngsters, so whether it’s Fairlawn or another building, it should not make a difference.

“I think the model you’re proposing will help build that community,” parent Eric Jacobson said of the school configuration proposal.

The reasons given for closing Fairlawn were:

•Fire codes bar adding classrooms above second grade without “exorbitant” renovations.

•No athletic fields.

•The early childhood building set-up would make it easier for the town to rent or lease to a third party.

Fairlawn savings would pay for five full-day kindergarten teachers and building upgrades.

Fortunato said she will recommend to the School Committee in January that the “neighborhood” alternative put pre-K through fifth grade at Lonsdale and Northern and kindergarten through fifth grade at Saylesville and Central.

KEY POINTSConfiguring schools

Close one school: Officials propose closing Fairlawn Early Learning Center, projected to deliver $562,530 in savings that would go to an all-day kindergarten program. Elementary schools would then be configured differently.

Configuration proposal: Using a neighborhood schools approach, there would be pre-K through fifth grade at Lonsdale and Northern Elementary Schools and kindergarten through fifth grade at Saylesville and Central Elementary Schools.

Alternative proposal: Make Lonsdale Elementary School a pre-K through second grade early learning center, with the same at Northern Early Learning Center. Northern, Central and Saylesville Elementary Schools would be grades three through five.

A vote: The School Committee decides Dec. 3 solely on whether to close Fairlawn.

mmckinne@projo.com