District 308 to Begin School Boundaries Discussion

With the issue of high school overcrowding resolved, the board now plans to tackle the same problem in the lower grades.

“During the discussion of whether or not there was going to be a third high school, the topic was brought up that we may have to reboundary,” Board President Bill Walsh said. “This is just the introduction of the process.”

Last month, board members voted unanimously to approve additions at both and high schools to ease the district’s overcrowding.

The swelling kindergarten population in District 308 has school officials bracing for an increase at the upper levels. The district has also seen increases in both the district’s dual language and special education populations.

At tonight’s meeting, Associate Superintendent Todd Colvin will present some of the methods that have been used in the past to determine attendance boundaries, as well as provide board members with boundary criteria, guiding principles and a possible timeline for implementation.

“There are so may different facets of reboundarying,” Walsh said. “It’s not a quick ‘Let’s reboundary and make this neighborhood go here and that neighborhood go there and be done with it.’ It’s very detailed.”

Also up for discussion for next year will be the opening of Murphy Junior High, said Kristine Liptrot, the district's director of communications. 

Other agenda items include the approval of a number of course changes as part of the transition to the Flex 8 bell schedule, and the presentation of information on the abstinence-plus program.

District officials are proposing moving from an abstinence-only curriculum to an abstinence-plus curriculum, which would still promote abstinence as the foremost recommendation to students, but also allow staff to address birth control questions and information. School officials said both parents and staff have asked the district change its philosophy so students can get a more comprehensive perspective on health education.

The District 308 meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in the Community Room, 1525 Harvey Road.