Middle school boundary change plan rebuked

Proposed changes to attendance boundaries for Coeur d’Alene middle schools drew criticism Monday night at a public forum, much from parents concerned that a switch in schools could affect their children’s social welfare and safety.

Under the proposal, 150 students attending Woodland Middle School would move to Canfield Middle School for the 2006-07 school year, and 129 Canfield students would move to Lakes Middle School.

The moves would even out middle school enrollment that district officials say is becoming too lopsided as the number of school-age children decreases in the south part of the district and increases in the north.

Lakes Middle School currently has 583 students; Woodland has 859 and Canfield has 783. The new boundaries would increase enrollment at Lakes to 706 while decreasing Woodland’s to 742 and Canfield’s to 739.

About 60 people attended a forum at Lake City High School to hear about the proposed changes from the committee that drafted them, made up of school officials and parent representatives. Many who spoke to the committee stressed the need for a “grandfathering” system to allow current seventh-graders to remain at their current school for their eighth-grade year.

Steve Briggs, the school district’s chief financial officer, said the committee’s recommendation to the board will include some automatic grandfathering, but it would not be available for everyone.

If that were done, Briggs said, “There would be very little efficiency and the change would probably not be very beneficial.”

Hayden resident Ann King said she fears the forum will see the same results as last summer’s forum on property tax relief.

“Did we get any property tax relief?” King said. “It’s just bluff. And we’re here tonight – it’s just bluff. You’re probably going to go ahead with this.”

The committee does listen, Briggs said.

“We’re in a real tough spot here,” he said before the meeting.

Redistricting is always an emotionally charged issue, Briggs said, and it’s impossible to address every person’s concern.

“Typically it’s all well-founded. It’s very deeply felt, and certainly there’s merit to most of the arguments,” Briggs said. “The problem becomes one of balancing out the merit of one argument with the weight” of all the other arguments and the overall problem the district needs to address.

Hayden resident Perry Lestes said what many of the other parents echoed: Changing boundaries so that children must cross U.S. Highway 95 to get to school is not OK.

“Crossing 95 is getting worse and worse and worse,” Lestes said. “The more buses that cross, the more chances that we’re going to have an accident here that’s going to be serious.”

But committee members noted that some students already have to cross Highway 95 to get to Woodland Middle School, and no accidents have ever occurred.

Hayden resident Jan Wilhelma commended the committee for the proposal, saying she was expecting something much more drastic. She said her oldest daughter lived through a boundary change with no adverse affects.

“Kids are really good at making new friends,” Wilhelma said.

Under the proposal, students living north of Hayden Avenue between Ramsey Road and Highway 95, north of Honeysuckle Avenue between Highway 95 and Maple Avenue, and in the Emerald Estates farther north will move from Woodland to Canfield.

Also, students living north of Gilbert Avenue and south of Margaret Avenue between Highway 95 and 15th Street will move from Canfield to Lakes. Students living on Crown Avenue or its side streets, Bourbon Drive, Royal Street and Rye Avenue, also will move from Canfield to Lakes.

The committee will meet Thursday to consider public comment and make a final recommendation to the School Board. The board will consider the recommendation at its meeting June 5.

Board Chairwoman Wanda Quinn assured parents that the decision will not be made lightly.

“We know it is one of the most confrontational, emotionally upsetting actions any board can take,” Quinn said.