Colbert Elementary Overloaded

FROM FOR THE RECORD (Tuesday, May 18, 1999): Correction Just one meeting: Mead School District officials will hold a meeting at 7 tonight to discuss busing at Colbert Elementary School. A story in last week’s North Side Voice reported an additional meeting later this week.

The lunch lines are crowded, the playground is swamped and classrooms have too many kids.

The average enrollment size of the seven elementary schools in the Mead School District is 565 students.

But Colbert Elementary has 685 students.

“We’re the only school that’s way over capacity,” said Colbert principal Marcia Young.

In fact, Colbert is larger than any of the 35 elementary schools in Spokane School District 81. Roosevelt Elementary School is listed as the largest elementary school with 666 students, according to the 1998-99 Washington Education Directory.

So Mead School District officials are looking at ways to ease overcrowding at Colbert next year. The move could result in some Colbert students being bused to other schools next year.

“We’re looking at 60 to 100 kids to move out,” Young said.

Attendance boundary changes could affect Farwell, Meadow Ridge and Shiloh Hills elementary schools.

A citizens boundary review planning committee is considering transferring students from the southwest corner of the Colbert attendance area to Farwell. Another option would be to transfer students from Colbert to Meadow Ridge and Shiloh Hills while transferring some from Meadow Ridge to Farwell.

The district will entertain comment from the public about the matter in meetings scheduled for 7 p.m. on Tuesday and May 20 at Mead Middle School, 12509 N. Market.

“There’s no doubt we need to look at boundary changes at Colbert,” said Al Swanson, Mead’s superintendent of finance. “But what they would be, at this point, we’re not sure.” Swanson did say, however, that “district-wide boundary changes are not warranted.”

That recommendation comes from an elementary school planning committee which consists of two representatives from each elementary school, he said.

As for Colbert, Young said teachers and students are making the best of what has become a challenging situation.

“When Meadow Ridge opened seven years ago, our student count went down to 500 from more than 600. But we’re back up to close to seven (hundred).

By comparison, Brentwood Elementary has 500 students; Evergreen, 519; Farwell, 460; Meadow Ridge, 562; Midway, 622; and Shiloh Hills, 558.

“With the new accountability standards, it’s more difficult for teachers to find time to plan and work together to facilitate that learning,” Young said.

Young said school volunteers who come to the building dedicating time to the students are often relegated to working with them in hallways and whatever other space is available.

COMING UP Mead School District will hear public comment on boundary changes for Colbert Elementary at 7 p.m. Tuesday and May 20 at Mead Middle School, 12509 N. Market.