The Jacksonville School District 117 Board of Education heard from two families Wednesday night as it continued discussing a proposed change to elementary school attendance boundaries.
The proposal would move the northern boundary of Murrayville-Woodson Elementary School north to the southern border of Interstate 72.
District officials say the change could help alleviate crowding at South Jacksonville and Eisenhower elementary schools, while also preparing for potential growth in the area.
The change would affect 19 currently enrolled students.
No action was taken Wednesday night, but two families spoke during public comment.
Scott and Lisa Jess are grandparents of two children who live next door to them right on the boundary line of the proposed changes. One of the children is a student at Eisenhower, while the other will be a kindergarten student next year. The Jesses said their family specifically chose where to build their homes because of the Eisenhower boundary.
Scott Jess asked the board to consider allowing their grandchildren to remain in the Eisenhower school if their family provides transportation: “So we would just ask the board to consider if we have an opportunity to request a waiver or a variance, and that’s what we would like you to at least consider that.”
Matt Melcher of Timber Creek Drive also asked the board to consider grandfathering students already attending the affected schools. He said his family chose their home in part because of the South Elementary boundary, and that moving could disrupt both their child’s education and his family’s transportation arrangements: “What I propose should be considered is that the 19 current JSD-117 students that would be impacted be provided the option to be grandfathered into the old boundaries, provided their parents can provide transportation. As mentioned in [my] email from August 31st, consideration is expected to be given to current fourth graders and I feel that this opportunity should be granted to all 19 [students].”
Superintendent Steve Ptacek said the board is considering that possibility. He said the situation is different from the district’s 2018 boundary changes, which were driven by the closure of Franklin School and significant differences in elementary enrollment.
Ptacek said the current proposal is primarily a long-range planning decision, while also potentially reducing enrollment pressure at the other two schools. He said the board could ultimately decide not to make the change.
Ptacek also said the district plans to contact the families of all 19 affected students to determine whether they would actually want a waiver: “The first question is if a waiver was provided, would they take advantage of it or would they go to the new school? The second question the board wants to know is, do they have any current students that are not yet of kindergarten age that they would also like the waiver for? Not saying those students would get it, but that is data the board wants to have in making its decision.“
Ptacek said that information could change the board’s discussion. The board will continue discussing the proposed boundaries before any final decision is made as a possible action in October.