Dividing Lines Committee Redraws Boundaries For Central Valley School District

The Central Valley boundary review committee, quite honestly, does not want to endure another boundary review anytime soon. People should keep that thought in mind, say leaders of the committee.

As families look at the proposed changes for high schools and junior highs, they should remember one other thought: The future will bring growth.

Now, what changes are the committee recommending? First, the high school boundaries. The only change lies in the north-south boundary section that runs north of 32nd Avenue to the northern edge of Central Valley School District. The committee suggests that boundary should shift east from Pines Road and state Highway 27, to Evergreen Road.

“Evergreen will be a natural boundary, with six lanes of traffic,” said Carol Peterson, the school official who led the committee.

The district wants to even out the populations of the two high schools. Currently, they’re off by about 300 students; Central Valley High School has 1,300 kids, compared to 1,040 at University High School.

The junior high school changes are a bit more complex. Let’s start in the northwest corner of the district.

North Pines Junior High School will expand to the southeast, taking in area as far east as Sullivan and as far south as Eighth Avenue. Greenacres Junior High School will lose area in its southwest corner, with new boundaries at 10th Avenue and Linke Road. Evergreen Junior High School will expand into that area, moving its boundary north and east. Horizon Junior High School will have no changes.

Why make those specific changes?

“Part of our charge from the school board was to equalize the junior high school boundaries,” Peterson said.

Right now, the junior high schools vary from a low of 444 students at North Pines, to a bulging 610 students at Greenacres. And the committee’s discussions with Spokane County staff and real estate groups make it clear that growth is coming on the east side of the district. There’s also potential growth coming in the district’s southwest corner.

Now, remember our first thoughts - about not redrawing boundary lines too soon, and inevitable growth? Well, the committee has drawn its proposed boundaries not for today, but for years to come. That’s why the projected enrollments at the high schools - 1,846 at University and 1,430 at CV - seem out of whack, because they wanted to leave room for growth at CV High. Those numbers, by the way, include ninth-graders, as they will move up to the high schools in two years.

“So, it wasn’t just us throwing darts. We did have two or three sources for information, looking at where the growth is coming,” said Lynn Trantow, committee chairwoman and a parent with two daughters attending Greenacres Junior High.

The same thinking, leaving room for growth, underlies the boundary changes at the junior high schools.

Also, Peterson said, if the junior high enrollment dips too low at one school, it makes it difficult for the district to offer as wide a variety of programs.

No redistricting plan is perfect. Although the elementary school boundaries were not moved this time around, a couple of elementary school areas will be divided between two junior high schools.

“Unfortunately, we had more splitting of elementaries into junior highs,” Peterson said. “That’s because of moving the high school boundaries and allowing for growth in the junior highs.

“It was a struggle. Unfortunately, when you draw new boundaries, you don’t come out perfect.”

What happens next? These suggested changes will be the subject of two public hearings next week. The first will be Tuesday at the University High School cafeteria. The second will be Thursday at the Central Valley High multi-purpose room.

Both hearings will run 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Speakers will be limited to three minutes each. Written comments may be sent to the committee at the district’s administrative building, 19307 E. Cataldo, Greenacres WA 99016.

“These boundaries are not cast in stone,” Trantow said. “If someone in the community has a better idea, we need to hear it.”

The committee will consider all pulic comment and will make its recommendation to the school board later in April or May.

When would these changes take place? The committee is recommending that the changes commence in September 2002, with the opening of the two new high schools.

The committee also suggests these provisions:

* Current ninth-grade students who would be affected by the boundary change to the new U-High could choose to attend the current U-High next year. No transportation would be provided until the new schools open.

* Current eighth-grade students who would be affected by the boundary change to the new U-High could choose to attend the current U-High in 2001-2002. Again, no transportation would be provided.

* In 2002-2003, established CV High juniors and seniors affected by the boundary change could choose to finish high school at CV High. No transportation would be provided.

Map: Proposed Central Valley boundaries