Boundary Task Force Community Forum

1. Boundary Task ForceCommunity Forum Monday November 26, 2012 Vista Middle School

2. Purpose The purpose of the Boundary Task Force is to propose to the Ferndale School Board for consideration new elementary school boundaries.

3. Process • Boundary Task Force Membership • Parents • Teachers • Para-educators • Boys and Girls Club of Ferndale • Lummi Nation • City Planner • District Transportation • Principals • District Administrators

4. Criteria For Good School Boundaries Create the safest possible walking routes. Maintain the integrity of neighborhoods. Be developed through an open process with community involvement and buy-in Take into account projections for future enrollment. Take into account elementary and high school feeder patterns, when moving toward the idea of keeping groups of students together as they move through school. • Balanced Enrollment in terms of number of students and with respect to diversity in each school • Respect natural geography to ease travel time and minimize transportation time. • Work to reduce the amount of time students spend getting to and coming home from school. • Consider existing and future roads to create the best transportation routes.

5. Meetings of the Task Force Spring 2012 September 20, 2012 October 4, 2012 October 18, 2012 November 1, 2012 November 8, 2012 (Special Meeting) November 15, 2012 November 26 & 28 – Public Forums December 6, 2012 Review of input December 13, 2012 Proposals to the Board

6. Data Considered Building capacity, design, and location Transportation – Run length and ease of runs Natural geography – Rivers, land use, railroads, interstate Neighborhoods Future Growth and development Walking routes Demographics – Diversity, balanced enrollment, Free and reduced

7. The process • Walking maps established first • Want to encourage more students to walk to school • Which neighborhoods best belong to which schools? • Assign groups or neighborhoods to schools • Best utilize the schools based on facility capacity • Maximize use and design • Small groups designed maps and then came together to form larger maps

8. The process The larger maps were brought together to determine if we have one or two maps Strengths and weakness of each of the two maps were reviewed Two maps emerged as a result with both having enough positive qualities and meeting the criteria we established to be considered

9. Now What? Our goal for tonight is to gather input about the two proposed maps. When you consider the maps, what works? What questions do you have about the maps? Are there suggestions you want us to consider for each of the maps?

10. Table Work Move to tables to discuss the maps in small groups. One of the Boundary Task Force members will be at the tables to help facilitate the discussion and take input. We will help generate conversations with a series of questions posed from up front. Questions will be timed to help keep the conversations moving.

11. Comment Card Comment Cards are available for those wishing to leave a comment card for the Boundary Task Force. If you wish to have someone get back to you please complete the contact information request on the card and someone will get back to you by the end of this week. If you wish to simply leave a comment for consideration, you do not need to leave your contact information.

12. Small Table Work Introductions Introduce yourself and tell the group what school or community group you represent What do you believe is the most important criteria forgood school boundaries? Why?

13. Small Table Work Map A What are the strengths of Map A? Are there weakness in Map A? What information do you need concerning Map A?

14. Small Table Work Map B What are the strengths of Map B? Are there weakness in Map B? What information do you need concerning Map B?

15. Small Table Work Boundaries What else needs to be considered when drawing the elementary boundaries?