Comprehensive Boundary Process: Next Steps

Good afternoon! I hope this finds you safe and warm! Here is an update on the Comprehensive Boundary Process that began 12 months ago. I am grateful to the nearly 50 parents who participated on this committee and the administrators and staff members who were also in attendance. While much of the work centered around enrollment analysis, grade configurations and boundaries, the committee members also shared their passion for ensuring all students are provided with meaningful opportunities and resources as needed.

After the Board approved the boundaries for elementary attendance centers on January 14, 2019 administration worked with demographers RSP & Associates and the Waukee Enrollment Services Department to determine 2019-20 enrollment at each of the elementary buildings. The administration then identified which grade levels would see a decrease or increase in the number of sections/teachers at each attendance center. The elementary staffing process is in full swing, and we are now ready to move forward with drafting a recommendation for the feeder system/building alignment to be implemented no earlier than 2020-21 and no later than 2021-22. No changes for grades 6-12 will be recommended for the 2019-20 school year.

At the January 28 Board meeting, a discussion was held regarding a plan to determine the feeder system for grades 6-12. The Board agreed to schedule a work session in order to provide an opportunity for further discussion. The agenda for the work session will include (but will not be limited to) the following:

Review and Discuss:

  • roles and responsibilities
  • criteria and guiding principles – any changes?
  • the process and results to date
  • updated enrollment for elementary attendance centers with new boundaries
  • feeder system scenarios previously shared with the Boundary committee
  • the functional capacity (instructional space available) of each of the secondary buildings
  • comments, questions and thoughts regarding the feeder systems

The initial work session with the Board of Education is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 12 at 6:00 p.m. The outcome of this work session will influence the timeline for this work. Please feel free to attend. After the Board Work Session, Associate Superintendents Kirk Johnson, Terry Hurlburt and I will establish an internal team made up of K-12 administrators, teachers and staff. This committee will be charged with drafting a recommendation for the feeder system. As a part of the process, opportunities to provide feedback will be provided to the Board, the Boundary Committee and Staff. Updates will be provided as they become available. The agendas and minutes for the committee meetings held January 2018-January 2019 can be found on our website.