Tonight: Wayzata School Board Could Approve Boundary Changes

The Wayzata School Board meeting 7 p.m. tonight, Dec. 10, at Wayzata City Hall could bring a conclusion to an ongoing, important topic of discussion for this school year.

Since October discussion surrounding boundary changes for district elementary schools has been part of public discussion.

The Dec. 10 meeting agenda includes an item about "Enrollment Balancing and Attendance Area Modifications."

The agenda item has a recommendation action for the School Board to "accept and implement the  elementary enrollment balancing and attendance area recommendations brought forth by the administration."

District administration's recommendation to the board includes the following:

• Category 1 Recommendations: Neighborhood Attendance Area Reassignments (see map called 7A with this article post)

1. Neighborhood 7B from Greenwood to Oakwood (currently occupied areas)

2. Neighborhoods 10E and 13 from Greenwood to Gleason Lake

3. Neighborhood 30 from Plymouth Creek to Kimberly Lane

4. Neighborhood 33 from Plymouth Creek to Greenwood

• Category 2 Recommendations: Future and Currently Unknown Housing Development Attendance Area Reassignments

1. Currently Undeveloped/Unoccupied Areas 4AS, 5W, and 11A2 from Greenwood to Oakwood

2. Currently Undeveloped/Unoccupied Areas 6E and 7B from Greenwood to Oakwood

3. The school district will continuously monitor the opening of new home developments.  As each new development is planned and scheduled to open, the district will consider the elementary and middle school attendance areas where the development is currently assigned.  It will then make a final decision about placement in an elementary and middle school where capacity exists and can best accommodate the projected number of students for the new area.

• Category 3 Recommendations: Administrative and Procedural Attendance Area Assignments

1. Grandfathering choices for fifth grade students allow fifth grade students, including open enrolled students, with a “grandfather” choice (an opportunity to stay in their current school) for the 2013-2014 school year (with transportation provided for resident students and for non-resident students from an in-district bus stop).

2. Grandfather choices for younger siblings younger siblings of grade 5 resident and non-resident students will not have a “grandfather” choice for the 2013-2014 School year.

Also important to administration's recommendation:

• Intra-District Transfer students (resident students attending a school outside of their assigned attendance area) may or may not be allowed to remain at their current school of attendance depending on the individual school enrollment and capacity status. The district will continue to manage intra-district transfer requests under the current procedure which requires annual review and approval.

• Elementary open enrollment students will be allowed to continue at their current school of attendance.

• The district will maintain current status of “closed open enrollment” in grades 1-12 with the exception of ensuring that state laws are honored and taking into consideration the kindergarten enrollment procedures outlined below.

• For the purposes of determining kindergarten open enrollment admissions:  If resident kindergarten enrollment reaches or exceeds 650 students, as determined on February 15, 2013, open enrollment admissions will be limited to a minimum of seven kindergarten students (statutory minimum of 1 percent of resident kindergarten enrollment). Priority will be given to those kindergarten applicants with an older sibling currently attending Wayzata Public Schools in grades K-4. The district will assign the student to one of the district’s elementary schools where adequate capacity exists; which may or may not be the school where the older sibling attends.

• New registrants, moving into attendance areas that are impacted by this recommendation, will be given the opportunity to attend their neighborhood’s new elementary school effective during the 2012-2013 school year and transportation will be provided.

Looking for more information? Want to see more maps of sceanrios proposed, opinions and feedback from parents and community members and more? Check out our coverage of proposed attendance boundary changes.