District 117 approves plans for new boundaries, renovation of South Elementary

By Gary Scott on September 21, 2017 at 9:38am

Elementary school boundaries within Jacksonville School District 117 could soon start to see some changes after last night’s district Board meeting.

The Board approved the final proposal for new elementary school boundaries last night, along with several other subjects pertaining to the future of certain schools within the district.

As for the boundary scenario recommended by the special committee, Superintendent Steve Ptacek explains what attracted the board to this particular scenario.

“It minimized the number of students who were having their address changed, and that was one of the goals from the beginning was to lessen the impact on the community. It also helped answer some of our equity and adequacy needs across the district. Without doing major changes across the district, it definitely helped-for instance, Lincoln is going to have a lower enrollment than some of the other schools with two classes per grade level. The boundaries make sense, and I think it’ll be easier for the people in the community to understand where the boundaries are,” says Ptacek.

Ptacek tells us if there will be any other minor tweaks or changes before the new boundaries go into effect.

“There were a couple areas that were brought up that we need to further define exactly where the boundaries are, for instance, in case somebody were to build in the location. We’ve got a couple areas that are away from students that are somewhat vague, so we highlighted a grouping of those so that I can go back and more clearly define where the boundaries will be. But none of those changes are going to change any of the student demographic data that the committee approved with their scenario,” says Ptacek.

As for where these boundaries are exactly, for Murrayville-Woodson Elementary, Lake Jacksonville Road and Old Airport Road will mark the northern boundary. For South Elementary, Morton Avenue will serve as its northern boundary with the exception of Rolling Acres, who, despite its location on the north side of Morton, will send their students to South.

One change to the former boundaries is that the dividing line between Eisenhower and Lincoln will be moved to Caldwell Street, and students residing in the area west of Caldwell and south of Walnut will attend Eisenhower instead of North, their former school. Also included in Eisenhower’s zone is the area stretching north along Poor Farm Road to Mount Zion Road, while those living north of Mount Zion Road attending North Elementary. College Avenue will serve as the boundary between Washington and Lincoln. Moving from Lincoln to North are students living in the section north of Walnut and west of Main.

 

For more information on the newly approved boundaries, be sure to tune in right here to News Radio 1180, as Ptacek joins us for a conversation between 10:30 and 11 a.m.