Cd'A school trustees address overcrowding

COEUR d'ALENE — The Coeur d'Alene School District Board of Trustees approved Monday night a halt on new out-of-district transfers, while other groups were grandfathered in and will remain at schools in the district.

The move took place at the board's regular meeting, which featured a series of decisions related to addressing overcrowding at schools in the Coeur d'Alene School District. Decisions were also made regarding Hayden Elementary School, adding portables to existing campuses with affected enrollment, and attendance zone changes for the district's elementary and middle schools.

Prior to the decisions, trustees heard several impassioned testimonies from parents whose children attend Coeur d'Alene schools through its out-of-district transfer program. Susan Schroeder, a Rathdrum resident whose child goes to Sorensen Magent School of the Arts and Humanities, spoke to the board about her love of the school and being a part of the educational community.

"We are so proud to say our daughter goes to Sorensen," she said. "We would be so sad to have to leave."

Trustee Tom Hearn began the board's conversation on out-of-district students by stating he was opposed to the idea of removing students who are currently enrolled in the district through the program.

"I'm not in favor of expelling out-of-district transfers," added Trustee Dave Eubanks. "But I am in favor of us getting some sort of compensation from the families."

However, Board Chair Christa Hazel disagreed with the notion of allowing current transfer students to remain, citing district policy that allows the board to halt the practice in times of overcrowding. She told the board some students who live inside the district boundaries are losing valuable class time because they were forced to transfer to a school requiring a longer bus route.

"Our district resources are being negatively impacted right now and, in addition, I believe some of our students are being negatively impacted right now," she added.

After further discussion on the issue, the board unanimously approved halting any transfers from new families living outside the district in all of its elementary schools. Siblings of students who currently attend Coeur d'Alene schools on transfers are exempt from the moratorium, as are the children of Coeur d'Alene School District employees.

Hazel said the direction the rest of the board took wasn't what she had hoped, but voted in favor because it was a move in the right direction.

Hearn made a motion to direct district officials to begin exploring options for re-opening Hayden Elementary in the fall of 2017. Hearn said he supports a bond measure as early as March of 2017, the funds from which would be used to build additional schools, but added he felt voters would be more supportive of a bond if there was a plan for the now vacant school building in the works.

"We need a solid plan to use it so we can show the community we are using all of our assets to the fullest capacity," Hearn added.

Eubanks echoed Hearn in his support for using the existing campus. He said he recently toured Hayden Elementary, and was impressed by the site.

"I felt that the school had some potential," he added. "It seems like kind of a shame to cast it aside and it would be nice if we could come up with at least a plan."

Hearn's motion passed unanimously.

The board made two decisions regarding portables in an effort to add classrooms to affected schools in the district. Two unused portables at Hayden Elementary will be moved to Atlas Elementary School and one more, set to be placed on the campus of Hayden Meadows Elementary, will be purchased or leased.

According to information from district officials, the cost of purchasing a new portable is $79,500, with delivery and installation costing an additional $11,851. Leasing a portable would cost $21,444 a year, with the same additional cost for delivery and installation.

At the end of the lease, the district would be charged return costs of $7,440. The district will allocate money from its general fund during the budgeting process for the 2016-17 school year, regardless of whether it chooses to purchase or lease the portable.

Moving existing portables was passed unanimously, and Hazel was the only board member opposed to the purchase of a new portable.

"I've never met a temporary portable," Hazel said of the vote.

Finally, the board approved two zoning recommendations provided to them by the Attendance Zone Committee. The committee was formed by the board six months ago and tasked to analyze the challenges associated with managing growth, particularly in the northwest region.

Woodland Middle School is bearing the brunt of the growth in the district. To address that growth, the trustees unanimously approved a zoning change that has students in certain areas of the district moving to Lakes Middle School.

That option was unanimously approved.

Re-zoning of the district's elementary school boundaries was narrowly approved on a 3-2 vote, with Hearn and Hazel voting against. Trustees voted in favor of a plan that will send some students to Skyway and Atlas elementary schools.