Committee eyes future redistricting

Administration has been directed to look at options to handle growth

Boyertown School District’s Enrollment Review Committee is currently looking at ways to handle anticipated growth in the area.

At their May 24 meeting, the committee ruled out building, closing, or renovating buildings and instead has directed the administration to look into redis- tricting at the elementary-level.

Robert L. Scoboria, Assistant Superintendent confirmed on June 9 that the administration is currently studying options to redistrict and they will be coming back to the committee early next fall with more information.

“This committee was formed to study the resources and what we have in place to serve the needs of our students K-5,” said Scoboria. “The intent was to look at what we have now and make sure the resources are in place to meet the kids’ needs now and in the future.”

He says a feasibility study from 2012 and a demographic study from 2015 were two key reports that the group looked at to make their recommendations. They also looked at the current state of the buildings, building capacities and items such as new housing and developments.

As a part of the May 24 meeting, representatives from Douglass (Mont.) and New Hanover Township were asked to provide information about upcoming and ongoing projects to give the committee an idea of what kind of de- velopment and growth to expect in the coming years.

The district is currently halfway through their multi-million dollar high school expansion project and preliminary approvals have already been made for updates to Junior High West.

“The board knows we’re in good shape for grades 9-12,” said Scoboria, adding that students in grades 6-8 will also be in good shape with the upcoming transition to a middle school model. Back in March the district announced it will be making the transition from the current junior high model (grades 7- 9) to a mid-

dle school model (grades 68) for the 2017-2018 school year.

To address the needs of elementary students, the committee has asked the administration to study three options: how to best keep the neighborhood whole, utilize capacity and efficiency to distribute students to schools with the space to accommodate, and the outcome if no changes are made.

“With 6th grade leaving in fall of 2017, all ele- mentary schools will have some increased space,” said Scoboria, adding that the administration will continue to follow the direction from the committee.

The soonest that any redistricting would be implemented in is the fall of 2017.