D303 announces new plans for School Boundaries- Yay or Nay?

Recently, D303 has voted to implement new school boundaries as a way to combat recent overcrowding in D303 schools. These new boundaries are part of the District’s “Facility Master Plan” to “ensure each student is provided with a safe, equitable, and effective academic and social-emotional experience.” 

According to the official District Boundary website, they chose Concept 2 based on these five main principles: Projected Enrollment/Building Utilization, Socioeconomic indicators, Duration of Boundaries, Minimizing costs, and making sure neighborhoods stay together. The Board also used 5 other principles to determine the final recommendation. They are: Keeping Elementary schools together when going to middle school, Students impacted, Transportation, Operational costs, and Adjacent attendance areas.  On February 12th, they announced their final boundary plan- Concept 2- for all grade levels, as shown in the plan below.

As such, many gathered mixed reactions to these plans, as some students have to switch schools during the 2024-2025 school year.  Because of the tremendous influence these plans have on students, I interviewed some students to get their input on this controversial issue.

Q1: What do you think about the new school boundary plan? Why? And how does it affect you?

A: Interviewee #1: Audrey Miquelon, 7th Grade

“I do not like the new boundary ideas or the new boundary. It affects me because some of my friends are going to be going to Thompson.”

Interviewee #2:  Noveena Htoo, 7th Grade

“I honestly don’t know how to feel about it and I don’t understand most of it….. Not seeing them (referring to her friends who will be switching schools) like I usually do will definitely affect me, and I don’t know if I can let that go. Some of my friends also will go to different high schools, so changing their middle school will also lessen the chances of seeing them…..Whatever the boundaries do, I know I’m still going to keep my friends close.”

Interviewee #3- Anonymous– (This student didn’t consent to share their name)

“I honestly dislike the new school boundary plan. Kids in 6th and 7th grade all have friends here, and some even have trouble making friends or could be less social.”

Interviewee # 4- Rylan Haan, 7th Grade

“I, personally do not like the boundary change. I don’t like it because it will make me go to Thompson.  The reason I care so much is because I would have to relearn everything, where to go, the end time of periods, where to sit at lunch, and much more. But that is only the tip of the iceberg.”

I also asked them what they would change about the boundaries if they could. Here are their answers:

Audrey Miquelon:

” I would change it to where people who are 30 minutes or so away from Thompson would stay at Wredling.”

Noveena Htoo:

“I would just change the whole thing. I really want my friends to stay in my school, but I don’t know if that is possible.”

Interviewee #5- Julia Taulbee, 7th Grade:

“I would change it so that I could go to the same school as all my friends ”

Anonymous:- (This student didn’t consent to share their name)

“I would probably go back to the original boundary lines because nobody is always going to be happy with them.”

Rylan Haan- 

“I would allow grandfathering. It means that you are allowed to stay at the school you have gone to for so long. The boundary change mostly affects the 7th graders, who have gone to that school for so long, so it grows a special place in their hearts. But, if there is a boundary change, half of your friends go to Thompson, and if you are both going to different high schools, you most likely will never see that person again.”

Now that you’ve heard what some students think about the new D303 boundary plan, what do you think? Love it? Hate it? Or just not sure? Be sure to fill out the poll below to get your opinions out!