 |
Youth programs at risk, some may not survive
Hospital clears
appeals process, council up next
Report lends
little more to PUD discussion
School
boundary
talks civil |
Officials say feedback has been mostly positive on
decisions made by the boundary task force |
By Schellene Clendenin, Newberg
Graphic Reporter
E-mail Schellene at sclendenin@eaglenewspapers.com
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A steady stream of parents of elementary students in town walked
through the doors of Chehalem Valley Middle School Tuesday evening to discuss an issue
that will affect many students in the Newberg School District.
About 50 dropped by looking for information from and providing feedback to
the Newberg School District Boundary Task Force.
“It’s been nice and steady,” said Don Staples, chairperson of
the task force. “It’s wonderful to hear the comments.”
According to Leslie Brittell, Dundee parent representative on the task force,
most of the feedback was positive and appreciative of the work already done by the task
force.
Brittell said she doesn’t sense any panic from parents, more a need to know what will
happen in advance.
Parents fretted over whether their children would remain with friends during
reshuffling and which elementary schools would be fed into which middle schools, she
added.
“They are concerned with their little world and how it will be
affected,” said Doug Corder, a member of the task force and the Newberg school board.
Dr. Sandra Lawson, assistant superintendent of the school district, said
traditionally students from Edwards and Mabel Rush elementary schools were fed into
Mountain View Middle School, while Chehalem Valley Middle School accepted students from
Dundee, Antonia Crater and Ewing Young elementary schools.
But the feeder system may be thrown off when Joan Austin Elementary is
completed next year.
Brittell said she was expecting questions from parents about moving their
children from one school to another, but there didn’t seem to be to be an
overwhelming concern because neighborhoods are being kept together.
“I think people are pretty satisfied. It seems like a winning situation
to me,” Brittell said. “Issues could be easily solved with transfers.”
Transferring students from within the district is fairly simple, she
explained, requiring only that the principals from both schools approve the transfer.
The question over what would the task force would do if a huge influx of
requests for transfers materialized, was raised by the group not long ago, she said.
Although a lot of transfer requests would prompt a review of the policies,
the task force didn’t see it as being a insurmountable issue. So far people are
accepting the decisions that have already been made, Brittell said.
Lawson said the task force is struggling with potential growth in the
schools. MVMS can hold as many as 550 students while CVMS will be at capacity at 650
students.
In addition, the group is keeping a close eye on the guiding principles it
produced early on. Lawson said the task force will look at the principles, the work the
task force has done itself and public input when the decisions are made.
“We hope to use a lot of feedback,” Lawson said.
She added that many parents commented on the diversity involved in the
currently-proposed middle school boundary lines and the use of College Street to separate
the areas between the schools.
One option for separation of the middle school was to split it evenly down
the middle on College Street. However, the plan would make the division of students
between the schools uneven. Another suggestion was to split the areas with College Street,
then branch off to the River Street from Highway 99W for a more equal division of the
numbers.
Also of concern, Lawson said, were transportation and safety issues,
including longer bus rides for some students and the possibility of some students having
to cross busy thoroughfares to get to a bus stop.
Parents with questions are welcome to drop by the remaining meetings, Staples
said. If they are unavailable to drop by, another option would be to e-mail the task force
with any questions or comments they might have.
“Hopefully people don’t think they are voting,” he said.
Many parents are already beginning preparation and planning ahead for the
fall, Brittell said. “Anything is doable if have time to prepare and adjust,” he
said.
Although things are going well so far, Corder said that could change.
“Crunch time will be the first part of December,” he said. |
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From Oct. 11,
2003, Newberg Graphic
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