By C. Komperda

The Long Range Facilities Planning Committee of the St. Vrain Valley School District (SVVSD) met in April and May to review possible enrollment boundaries for new Middle/High School #4.  Under the direction of Scott Toillion, SVVSD planner and Chairman Mark Sullivan, the committee meets to review scenarios developed by Toillion.

Determining school boundaries is no easy task.  The committee must consider enrollment numbers, busing requirements, anticipated growth rates, staffing ratios, building capacities, athletic division status, etc., and the list goes on.

Toillion has presented six possible scenarios that the committee hopes to reduce to one or two. The committee meets again in September when school resumes.

After reviewing the enrollment count in September, the committee will determine what to propose to the School Board in October.

In October, the School Board will review the committee’s proposal. The Board will make the proposal available to the public for review.  Toillion plans to meet with the various groups impacted by the proposal at that time. The public will have an opportunity to present alternative proposals to the School Board.

The School Board expects to make its final decision on the boundary change in February 2001.   

A question was raised regarding informing the public of the considerations before a proposal is presented to the board.  Larry Silver, School Board Representative, responded, “Until there is a proposal, there is nothing for the community to react to.”

Toillion added, “The goal (of the committee) is to be a research committee regardless of public comment.  The Board sets up ample opportunity to accept inputs.”  Toillion also stated, “This committee is a working committee and the people on the committee are not supposed to seek the opinions of the public – they are to represent the people.  The proposal needs to be made to the Board, then we open it up to the public.”  

Rick Ring of SVVSD Transportation met with the committee to discuss busing students.  Ring stated, “Once the boundaries are set, Transportation will set routes.”  Routes are determined based on the Student Transportation Policy EEA, coordination of school bell times and high school athletic needs.

Some committee members voiced their concern regarding high school students and middle school students riding on the same bus.  Ring described this as a proven method of transportation throughout the attendance district.   He also stated that busing high school and middle school students is the “cost efficient way to keep costs down in the district.”

According to Ring, “#4 will not be a walk-in school.”  Once the boundary decision has been made, Ring will give responses regarding the cost, safety and bell times.

Ring also stated that Transportation works very closely with Mary Blue, RTD 
Area Representative.  Currently, RTD provides transportation to Westview Middle School.  Students purchase RTD passes to ride the bus.  Ring also stated that there will be no pickups or drops on Airport Road.

Toillion stated the goal of the boundary change is to reduce Longmont High School’s enrollment by approximately 400.  Westview Middle School, Sunset Middle School and Niwot High are also over capacity.  As of April 27, the committee has evaluated the following boundary scenarios.  In each case, the capacity is first projected without any change in student population, followed by projections based on anticipated reductions by grade level.

Scenario A shows Eagle Crest Elementary School and Central Elementary School students feeding into #4.  The new Middle/Senior #4 would open at 59 percent and ultimately grow to 79 percent capacity when grades 6 through 12 attend.