Published: May 14, 2008 01:09 pm            

Elementary boundaries could change

• Stillwater’s population changes have created overcrowding at Sangre Ridge Elementary

A demographic study of Stillwater Public Schools could lead to major changes for some elementary school boundaries.

Drs. Jon Comer and Allen Finchum of Oklahoma State University addressed the Stillwater Board of Education on Tuesday, providing an update of their ongoing demographic study of the district’s population and potential changes in boundaries.

Using a combination of computer models and “holistic” models that included additional input provided by Comer, Finchum and a graduate student, the presentation provided various scenarios for the current six-elementary-school district and a potential seven-school district.

Much of the work focused on Sangre Ridge Elementary, which has 678 students in kindergarten through fifth grade. The next largest school, Skyline, has 406 students in those six grades.

“The goal we were given was to get the kids out of Sangre,” Finchum said, adding they also are attempting to create a map where no school has more than 400 students.

The easiest solution was the take three sections in the Sangre Ridge district, adjacent to and south of state Highway 51 west of Country Club Road, and move them to the Westwood district, for a reduction of 119 students at Sangre Ridge.

That would be a short-term solution but it would not require a major overhaul of existing boundaries. Finchum said there is no easy solution for the overcrowding at Sangre Ridge.

“There is no way we can send all students to the nearest school,” he said. “One (computer) model put 900 students at Sangre Ridge.”

Given current trends, the most likely area for a new elementary school would be along Range Road between McElroy and 19th Avenue, he said, adding the area west of Country Club “is ripe for development.” The board is not currently discussing building a new school.

In most models, boundaries for Richmond and Skyline were largely untouched.

“Richmond can absorb its development for the foreseeable future,” Finchum said.

The presentation was to update board members and no action was requested or taken, though board members did express interest in scheduling a special session to discuss the study in greater detail.

In other business:

• Kevin Calvert, district technology director, told the board staff computers at the middle school, Lincoln Academy and all elementary schools will be replaced this summer at a cost of $375,000, adding the district was able to save $30,000 compared to what it paid for computers last year. Calvert also told the board that the Parent Portal was operational for the three secondary schools with 400 parent accounts already created.

• The board unanimously approved the district technology plan for 2008-11.

• The board unanimously approved curriculum maps for the junior high/high school literature strand.

• The board unanimously approved an $118,000 bid from B&L Heating and Air Conditioning to replace 20 rooftop units at four schools. The estimated cost presented to the board last month was $150,000.

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.