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Washington County school boundary plan settled

The South Washington County district ended months of debating how its students will be split up next year.

By KEVIN GILES, Star Tribune

Last update: April 24, 2008 - 11:08 PM

The so-called "blue" plan to redraw attendance boundaries for elementary and middle schools in the South Washington County School District won approval Thursday night after intense debate over the merits of four proposals.

Proposals dubbed the blue, red and white plans were compiled by task forces that included dozens of county residents. A fourth plan, in which Board Member Jim Gelbmann wanted to blend the white and blue plans, was added before the vote.

The plans varied in the number of students who would be moved to different schools. District officials wanted to reduce the time children spent on school buses, leave space for more students near schools where more housing is being built and limit the need to make further changes in the future.

School officials said the blue plan does the best job of moving students from the district's east side, where population is growing fastest, to the west side, where more school space is available.

"You can't make a wrong decision, just a difficult decision," Superintendent Tom Nelson told the seven school board members before the vote. The blue plan beat out the white plan 4-3.

The board also approved a plan under which a new high school, East Ridge, will draw most of its students from Woodbury and Cottage Grove. Known as "Plan C," the boundary change also will draw some students from Newport to East Ridge, which will open in 2009. Students from St. Paul Park will attend Park High School in Cottage Grove.

Overcrowding in some schools, coupled with the 2009 opening of the third high school in District 833 and changes in how lower grades are configured, led to the decision to change boundaries. Over the past year, hundreds of parents attended public meetings to comment.

The blue plan will take effect in the fall of 2009. At that time, the district's 14 elementary schools will go to a K-5 configuration and the four junior high schools will become middle schools with grades 6-8.

The district, the sixth-largest in Minnesota, has about 16,800 students.

At Thursday night's meeting, board members voted 4-3 to suspend public comment. Chairman Ron Kath told the audience of about 60 people that four public meetings involving about 500 residents had already been held.

"This has been the most open and democratic process that I've been involved with," Nelson said.

The changes are "very difficult for parents, difficult for students," Gelbmann said. "Students will probably get over it before the parents. Students are very adaptable."

Kevin Giles • 612-673-7707

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Washington County school boundary plan settled

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Get $125 When You Move

Win a Family 4 pack of tickets for a 25 minute ride with Thomas the Tank Engine along with the chance to meet Sir Topham Hatt at the Tumbleweed Express in Lakeville, MN.