Boundary adjustment plan receives dozens of changes | Francois

Published 10:53 am Monday, June 1, 2015

Last week we released the final draft of the boundary adjustment plan to accompany the opening of North Creek High School and grade reconfiguration in the fall of 2017. This plan has received over a dozen changes — some relatively minor and some more significant — from the original plan released in late January.

The Enrollment and Demographics Task Force (EDTF) carefully reviewed the input and feedback received from our online process and community open houses conducted in February and early March. The EDTF also considered updated enrollment projections that took into account changes since last fall as well as kindergarten registrations for the 2015-16 school year.

I encourage you to review the updated plan on our website at www.nsd.org/2017boundaries and again use the boundary look-up tool to see if there are any changes to your assigned schools or feeder pattern. While we will not be conducting another series of open houses this late in the year, the online process is still available to receive your input.

Next fall, the EDTF will conduct a final review of the boundary plan taking into account any additional input received as well as updated enrollment figures and projections. The final boundary adjustment plan will be submitted to the school board for their consideration and action in the winter or early spring of 2016. The goal is to have a final boundary plan approved in time to provide families ample notice of any changes that will impact them in the 2017-18 school year. We also hope to begin transition activities in the spring of 2016 that will continue throughout the 2016-17 school year.

I want to again acknowledge and thank the volunteer members of the EDTF for the countless hours of work invested in developing this boundary recommendation. While it is impossible to expect that a plan with such far-reaching impact will meet every preference, the EDTF has approached this work thoughtfully, fairly and with consideration for all school communities now and into the future.

I also want to again extend my thanks and appreciation to those who have engaged in this process and provided your input and feedback. Your contributions truly helped inform the changes and improvements that have been incorporated into the final draft of the boundary adjustment plan.

Larry Francois is the Northshore School District superintendent.