Naperville Unit District 203 may shift about 6 percent of its students to different schools next year in an effort to ease overcrowding at north-side schools.
The district released the latest three boundary change scenarios Friday that are under review by its enrollment committee.
“I think the maps try their best to meet the three criteria of least disrupt to students, keeping neighborhoods intact and optimizing transportation,” said Susan Rice, director of communications.
Map 1 would move 999 students including 638 elementary students who would go from Beebe to Steeple Run; Mill Street to Elmwood; Highlands to Maplebrook or Meadow Glens; or Steeple Run to Meadow Glens or Prairie. On the junior high side, 162 students would move from Jefferson to Lincoln; or Kennedy to Lincoln or Washington. An additional 199 high school students would switch from North to Central.
Map 2 calls for 978 students to switch schools including 667 elementary students who would go from Beebe to Steeple Run; Mill Street to Elmwood; Highlands to Maplebrook or Meadow Glens; or from Steeple Run to Meadow Glens or Prairie. Ninety-six junior high students would move from Jefferson to Lincoln or from Kennedy to Washington. An additional 215 high school students would move from North to Central.
In Map 3, 1,033 students make a move including 694 elementary students who would shift from Beebe to Steeple Run, Mill Street to Elmwood, Highlands to Maplebrook or Meadow Glens; Steeple Run to Meadow Glens; or Kingsley to River Woods. Another 124 junior high student would move from Jefferson to Lincoln or from Lincoln to Madison. An estimated 215 high schoolers would switch from North to Central.
“There are some inconveniences with any plan given we have some major roads and passageways and there’s never an ideal situation for everyone, but we’re trying to get as close as we possibly can,” Rice said Friday.
District officials say their priorities are looking at projected enrollment and building utilization, keeping neighborhoods intact, causing the least disruption and letting current walkers walk. The district also does not plan to make students switch schools before eighth grade or during high school.
Several parents who were critical of the district’s early maps last month have said they now believe the district is heading in the right direction.
“I’m comfortable these were drawn not with an eye toward making the numbers look good, but with an eye toward the least disruption, (keeping) walkers walking,” parent and new committee member Chris Hall said in a recent interview.
The enrollment committee will meet again next week and could give the school board an update Jan. 23 The district tentatively plans to hold public forums in late January and early February.
Rice encouraged people to submit comments to capacity@naperville203.org.
To view the three proposed maps, visit www.naperville203.org.
Boundary Reassignment Draft Map 1-A
Boundary Reassignment Draft Map 2-A
Boundary Reassignment Draft Map 3-A
