Parents Pack Into Boundary Forum | Video

Kristin Clouston | 1/10/2013

If you have an elementary school that`s already full and need to squeeze in another 250 students, you know there`s going to be a problem. Overcrowding at Northridge is just one challenge facing the Bismarck School District. An estimated 450 people packed into the Wachter cafetorium Thursday for the school boundary forum.

Superintendent Tamara Uselman said, "My goal would be that people leaving here would feel that someone heard them out."

Uselman was clear when she addressed an issue involving upperclassmen. "If you have a child that is attending BHS or CHS right now, that`s where they go to high school. They`ll stay there regardless of where they live."

Parents of elementary students say they still have a lot of questions, like those from Riverside that have been told their kids are being transferred to other southside schools. They are being moved so South Central can use that space, and kids from the northwest and Simle can temporarily move into the Hughes building.

Helena Daniels said, "I feel like it is already a done deal but we`ll see. And Riverside, we weren`t really given a voice, I feel. So I got to ask questions like, are our kids going to go together? They don`t know. Are the teachers going to go with the kids and stuff like that is a concern."

Parents whose children are in special ed are also concerned.

Vicki Peterson explained, "We haven`t heard as parents anything from the Board of Education. Letters that go out, nothing that affects our children that have individualized instruction at school and we`re concerned they have a specific way of learning and they`re full of anxiety and they don`t know who to trust."

Parents can request transfers after the boundaries have been set, but because of safety issues, will only get them if there is room available.

Garrett Wahl shared, "I`m sure they are trying to make it better for everybody, but my thoughts are my kids will be in kindergarten coming up here and to go on a bus 12 miles when you can go a mile and a half that`s a long ride for a little kid on a bus."
Those who didn`t want to met with committee members could leave comments at the door. The school board will discuss parent suggestions at Monday`s board meeting.

There will be another public forum on the 24th at Horizon Middle School. The board plans to have the final boundaries set on the 28th. Any changes will be posted on the district`s website.

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