Options for new K-3 elementary school boundaries in District 16 for 2008-09 are being refined, with two options being strongly considered.

 

Six options, including the two considered to best fit the criteria, were unveiled on the district’s website on November 28 (see below) and will be discussed at a December 10 community information meeting (details below).

 

The district’s goal is to approve and announce new K-3 elementary boundaries by mid-January 2008.

In June 2008, District 16 will close K-3 Kenneth Hall Elementary as part of the total renovation and expansion of the Spring Lake Park High School site. In September 2008, the district will open the new Northpoint Elementary, a 700-student capacity K-3 school located at 2350 124th Court in Blaine, just south of the corner of County Rd. 14/125th Avenue and Cloud Drive.

A K-3 Boundary Study Task Force was begun in September to research and recommend the necessary adjustments to boundaries for students  who will attend Woodcrest Elementary, Park Terrace Elementary, and Northpoint Elementary for the 2008-09 school year.

The goal of the process has been to utilize thoughtful, extensive data analysis to accomplish the following desired results:

--- effective school utilization
--- ability to effectively manage current and future enrollment trends
--- student demographics will be effectively balanced among the schools
--- students will attend school with neighbors within their natural neighborhood boundaries
--- reasonable bus ride or drive-time to school

Phase I of the K-3 Elementary Attendance Boundary Study involved conducting data analysis and identifying initial options for public review. A total of 54 separate and distinct school district neighborhoods were identified and profiles of each were developed. In addition, in this phase, and in work prior to this, over twenty separate options were initially considered, and eventually narrowed to six.

 

The result of some of this work, and a map of the current K-3 elementary boundaries, are found below:

 

Current Elementary School Boundaries, 54 Identified Neighborhoods and their Profiles

Phase II of the study involves community input. At a Community K-3 Boundary Task Force meeting on November 26, six options—those that best met the criteria—during Phase I were presented and reviewed. The community group narrowed the options to the two that are now being strongly considered. In addition, as a result of community feedback, the district will also consider two additional, subtle changes to these options.

 

The options under strong consideration are listed below. The links include the Proposed Boundaries and the related Neighborhood Profiles of each.

 

 

The following options were researched and reviewed but are no longer considered viable because they did not meet the desired results:

 

The community is invited to attend a presentation that will outline the progress-to-date on the boundary study and provide further details on the proposed boundary options. This public information meeting is Monday, December 10, 2007, at 6:30 pm in the cafeteria of Woodcrest Elementary, 880 Osborne Road, Fridley.

 

Phase III will include further analysis, refinement of options, and another round of input by the community task force. The task force will review public feedback, review the options once again, and make recommendations.

 

These recommendations will be utilized to develop final boundary recommendations that will be presented at a final public meeting to be scheduled in January. These recommendations will then be forwarded to the Superintendent and finally recommended to the School Board for approval.

 

Updates on the boundary study will continue to be available on the district’s website, in school newsletters, and in the local media.

Questions can be directed to Dr. Jeff Ronneberg, assistant superintendent, at 763-785-5524 or jronne@district16.org