Posted: 3/27/02

Boundary change decision expected April 1st

Cliff Buchan
News Editor

During a series of public meetings to explain proposed changes in the elementary school boundaries, the Boundary Change Committee has used the sessions as a way to ìtweakî the plans.

At Wyoming Elementary School on Tuesday, March 19, committee members were doing just that after hearing considerations from Wyoming Township resident Julie Finley and other residents of the district.

ISD 831 is now in the midst of an elementary boundary study that will result in some 195 students changing schools this fall. The moves are being made by the district to better utilize space in buildings and provide equal opportunities to students in terms of class size and resource availability.

About 20 Wyoming area parents were at the March 19th meeting. Under the plan as proposed, 90 current Wyoming Elementary students would move to Columbus Elementary this fall; 10 would be shifted to Linwood Elementary.

Based on projected housing starts and enrollment gains pinpointed by the committee, another 86 students would be moved by the end of the 2003 and 2004 school years.

After completing its series of public meetings, the committee presented its full recommendation to the school board Monday at Forest Lake High School. The school board is slated to make its final decision at its regular meeting on Monday, April 1.

Tweaks needed?

The March 19 meeting pointed to the need for school staff to study some of the provisions included in the budget plan. Being made aware of new facts is what the committee desires, said Sandy Chaussee, chair. Last weekís chief presenter for the boundary committee was Patrick Flowers of Wyoming Township.

The committee heard concerns from some Wyoming residents who feared their students would be moved more than once. Another parent, Finley, questioned the logic and practicality of moving two families living on or near the Finley home on Greenway Ave., east of US-8 in Wyoming Township.

Thanks to Finleyís questioning, the committee questioned the status of one family living on Galaxy Ave., north of 250th St. in the township, and whether or not the students would be moved to Columbus. There was disagreement among committee members at the meeting.

After the meeting, Finley said she remained hopeful the best interests of students would be examined. She was confident the committee heard her concerns.

ìI do think there is hope and this is a process,î Finley said. ìYou have to keep pushing your ideas. I know they (the committee) are going to try to do their best. My concern is how long a bus ride theyíll (three children) have. We are just in an odd spot.î

Under the proposed change, the three Finley children would be the first to be picked up in the morning with the bus coming off US-8 to Greenway. The route would continue west on 250th St. and pick up some 35 children living on the west side of US-61 for the trip to Columbus. The Finley home is 1.4 miles from Wyoming, reflecting a similar situation for many of the Wyoming students who are being moved to Columbus or Linwood.

At the urging of board member Clyde Boyer, who attended the March 19 meeting, the Wyoming situation will see more study, including a review by the transportation department.

Boyer also raised concerns made by five families in Ham Lake. Students in the area are being moved from Columbus to Lino Lakes Elementary with busing efficiency is a key factor in the move.

Committee duties

In completing its detailed study, the committee examined planned and proposed housing starts and crafted a plan that addressed all elementary grade levels, with a goal of utilizing each building to about 90 percent of capacity, Flowers said March 19. At 90 percent of capacity, each school will have some room for growth.

Based on its study of housing growth, Flowers said the district could see 1000 new housing starts by the end of 2004. ìWow,î he said. ìThatís quite a bit when you think about it.î

Based on the study, the projected housing starts could result in 567 new elementary students by the end of 2004. The committee has determined each housing start will produce .4 students, a level the committee called conservative. Are the numbers solid? ìGiven what weíve seen this is what we expect,î Flowers said.

Once this round of study is complete, the committee will recommend the district continue to monitor the growth, move ahead with a demographics study, continue to analyze the attendance areas that feed the two junior high schools and consider changes if such moves will be of benefit to the junior high schools.

Parents of students asked to move will be able to petition to keep their students in their old school. Students in Grade 6 next fall are among those who might be given consideration to remain in their old school. Chaussee urged parents to make such requests based on needs and circumstances, not because someone does not want to move.

Top of Page