School district, Boundary Committee begin elementary boundary work
Published 1:23 pm Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Tasked with presenting a recommendation to the superintendent for new elementary school boundaries with the introduction of a fourth elementary school in the fall of 2016, the superintendent’s Boundary Committee began work at its first meeting Wednesday, Oct. 1 at the MISD administration board room.
“The work that you will do will last quite awhile. We don’t change boundaries easily or yearly. The boundaries that we have, are ones that have been in place for a long time,” Superintedent Dr. Gary Plano said in his opening address to the committee, noting the last change came in the ‘80s when MISD changed to a three-school design. “My point to you is that you are working together on important legacy work that you will leave this community, for a number of years, these new boundaries that will identify where children will go to school, so I thank you for that.”
The 16-member committee, appointed by the superintendent, includes the three elementary school principals and consists primarily of parents and community members from the three elementary school neighborhoods. The committee is facilitated by boundary review process expert Richard Withycombe.
The plan is after nine meetings between October and February, the committee will come up with its recommendation by Feb. 28, 2015, with the Superintendent bringing the recommendation to the School Board for affirmation. The School Board identified seven values to guide the Boundary Committee in its decision-making, which include:
- Develop boundaries that balance enrollments across all four schools
- Identify boundary markers that provide safe and secure walking and biking zones
- Establish boundaries that will be relatively stable in the foreseeable future
- Maximize walking and biking zones to reduce the number of students needing direct transportation
- Optimize transpo efficiency and cost savings in busing zones
- Impact the smallest number of families
- Provide families the option to delay moving their children to their new neighborhood school for one year
Plano said the expectation was to have between 425-475 students at each school. The three schools without portables are designed for a capacity of 500 students, with the district usually peaking at just under 2000 elementary students. Elementary 4 will be designed for a capacity of 550 students.
The superintendent admitted the option for families to opt out for a year and delay moving their children made for a wild card for how many students the district could expect at the new elementary school, particularly for fifth graders wanting to stay at their respective schools. Regardless of how long it takes families to jump on board, the fourth elementary school will be ready.
“We’re ready for any amount,” said Plano. “We could open the school with one fifth grade or two fifth grades, we’re going to be ready for whatever the community has said [in regards to] we need time to make this adjustment. To be honest, I think once we know who our principal at the new school is and where our staff are going, that will be a big incentive to have people move or not move. We’re going to be ready.”
Minutes from the committee’s nine meetings will be posted online at the school district’s website at www.mercerislandschools.org/Page/11216.
