New elementary prompts Kalispell redistricting
The Kalispell Public Schools system has begun the elementary redistricting process as a new school is built on the south side of the city.
Three options were presented to the Kalispell Public Schools Board of Trustees on Sept. 26. Community forums will be scheduled in the coming months to get public input before a final decision is made by January.
Approximately 2,006 students attend the five existing elementary schools, of which a few dozen live out of district, according to district Transportation Director Annie Jensen, who is helping redraw boundary lines.
The district’s elementary schools include Edgerton on Whitefish Stage Road; Elrod on Third Avenue West; Hedges on Fourth Avenue East; Peterson on Second Street West; Russell on West Nevada Street; and the new school under construction on Airport Road.
A top priority in revising boundary lines is reducing overcrowding while also allotting space for potential enrollment increases in schools located near growing residential neighborhoods.
“We talked about the fact that you’ll see in these plans that the new elementary and Edgerton, and to some extent Peterson, are not near the level of capacity that Hedges, Elrod and Russell are simply because there’s a lot more expansion to go north, and to go south — and to go west to some extent,” Superintendent Mark Flatau said as he explained capacity plans.
The district is looking to define boundaries along major geographical features such as roads, rivers and railroad tracks with student safety in mind.
Other guiding principles include maximizing transportation efficiency and keeping schools within walking distance. The district also has tried to do its best in keeping subdivisions, apartment complexes and trailer parks within one school’s boundaries, but that is not always possible. One instance is the large residential area Jensen referred to as “Northridge,” located on the west side of U.S. 93 between Three Mile and Four Mile drives, where 151 students live. Nearby is the Empire Loop area where 85 students live.
“That’s a lot to go in one school, so that’s why Northridge ends up getting split one way or another to get the numbers right,” Jensen said.
Another issue Jensen worked with was the close proximity of Peterson, Elrod, Hedges and Russell.
“It’s really hard to make it so you’re not living really close to one school, but going to another school,” Jensen said.
Among the district’s other guiding principles is the intent to balance demographic and socioeconomic diversity when possible, which meeting attendee Peterson Elementary teacher Stephanie Buzzell advocated for as a priority along with reducing overcrowding.
“Our socioeconomic status at our school is very well-rounded,” said Buzzell, who has taught at Peterson for 13 years. “We’ve pulled from highs, we’ve pulled from low areas, we pull from the homeless shelter, which is awesome; we also pull from Foy’s Lake.”
Buzzell voiced concern that Peterson’s boundaries in the options presented aren’t as balanced as it is currently.
“We don’t want that to get lost in the translation,” Buzzell added. “... not just looking at numbers, but really thinking about what kind of cultures do we want to create in these schools once they’re changed?”
As the process continues, Flatau noted, “Keep in mind if you adjust here you’ve got to adjust somewhere else to balance it all out. It’s a little bit of a complex issue when you start moving boundaries.”
Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.