Potential changes to elementary school boundaries are just one of the topics for discussion tonight as Scottsbluff Schools Superintendent Dr. Andrew Dick hosts his second parental engagement forum.
With changes in the city’s demographics and other factors over the decades, Dr. Dick says a realignment is probably overdue, and provided an example during a conversation with KNEB News earlier this week.
“The boundary line that is drawn between Longfellow and Roosevelt doesn’t make a lot of sense, at least parts of it, to many of us. It currently runs east and west on 17th Street, and then once it hits 6th Avenue, it goes to the south all the way to East Overland,” said Dick. “And there’s an area in there that would seem to make more sense to be a Roosevelt geographical boundary.”
He followed by saying geographical details were among a number of factors to consider, with others including housing trends and areas of likely future growth.
“The most plausible area (for housing growth) is northeast Scottsbluff, which is served by Longfellow. So Roosevelt will have four additional classrooms in terms of capacity for next school year, with the movement of the preschool to the Scottsbluff Schools Education Center. And so they will have greater capacity to serve, And we’re attempting to increase the enrollment at Roosevelt in line with what we’re seeing with housing trends and, potentially, make some adjustments with Longfellow.”
Tonight’s meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. at Lincoln Heights Elementary, with additional forums at Lake Minatare, Longfellow and Westmoor in the coming weeks.
