BENTONVILLE -- School District administrators presented their vision of new attendance-zone maps for elementary and middle schools at a community meeting Wednesday, emphasizing they were open to the public's suggestions.
"We are here tonight to get your feedback," said Dena Ross, the district's chief operating officer. "We are smart enough to know what we think and what we believe may not be the best course."
http://district.ben…">Maps of proposed attendance zones
Seeking input
Community members may submit input until Friday on the Bentonville School District’s proposed attendance-zone boundaries and proposed 2016-17 calendar at http://www.SurveyMo….">SurveyMonkey. Information on the zones and calendar may be found through a link on the front page of the district’s website, BentonvilleK12.org.
Source: Staff report
Ross was quick to point out, however, a positive adjustment for one family could mean a negative one for another family.
"So we have to be cautious," she said.
About 150 people attended the meeting, during which they could submit their questions and comments electronically. Administrators answered several of those questions as they were received. The district will continue collecting the public's input through Friday.
"Every bit" of the public's comments will be considered, Superintendent Michael Poore said. He also acknowledged having received many emails on the issue and promised he would respond to each one.
The School Board is expected to approve attendance zones for the 10 elementary and four middle schools at its next meeting on Feb. 16. Those changes would go into effect this fall. The board spent about 90 minutes discussing the administration's proposal at its meeting Monday.
Most of the change is proposed at the elementary level, where the district will have one attendance-zone map instead of two. Elm Tree and R.E. Baker elementary schools have operated on a zoning scheme separate from the rest of the schools because they run on the nontraditional calendar. The board has agreed to eliminate the two-calendar system starting next school year.
Among the changes proposed is one shifting the district's extreme northwest corner in Bella Vista from Jefferson Elementary School to Cooper Elementary School. Some children in that area must catch a bus as early as 6 a.m. each morning in order to make it to school; the change to Cooper would delay pick-up by as much as 30 minutes, Poore said.
In turn, some children on the east side of Bella Vista who live within a few minutes of Cooper would be moved to Sugar Creek.
Angela Hopkins, a mother who lives in the affected area of east Bella Vista, recorded a video this week of what a morning commute to Sugar Creek is like from that area. It took about 45 minutes round trip, she said. Administrators are considering an adjustment to keep her neighborhood in Cooper's zone.
Other concerns have been raised about the district's proposal. Families in the Angel Falls subdivision would be rezoned from Elm Tree to Jefferson, which would significantly lengthen the commute for them.
"We are looking at that," Poore said.
Elsewhere, part of Sugar Creek's proposed zone is much closer to R.E. Baker than it is to Sugar Creek.
"This is an area of concern because it takes away the ability of kids to walk to school," said Tanya Sharp, director of student services.
Even after the rezoning, there may be cases where children aren't attending the school closest to their home. That's because the locations of the 10 elementary schools aren't ideally suited to the population, Ross said.
The district built its rezoning proposal with several goals in mind, including keeping neighborhoods together, minimizing transportation time and maintaining zone consistency through 2019, Poore said.
The middle schools also are being rezoned because the district still has 68 students being "overflowed" from the Bright Field Middle School zone, according to Sharp.
NW News on 02/04/2016