This inclusivity extends to students, staff, parents, and community members, all encouraged to participate in shaping the district’s future. The necessity for boundary changes arises from significant enrollment disparities across the district’s eight communities, which include the rapidly growing areas of Brooklyn Park and Maple Grove.

Two main scenarios, 1A and 2A, were presented, each modified from earlier proposals based on community feedback. Scenario 1A, affecting roughly 2,600 students, focuses on improving building utilization and creating a more cohesive feeder system for students transitioning from elementary to middle school. It aims to eliminate non-adjoining geographical areas and maintain neighborhood integrity. Scenario 2A, impacting about 2,000 students, shares similar objectives but involves fewer changes, prioritizing minimal disruption to families.

The assistant superintendent and John Morad, Executive Director of Finance and Operations, emphasized the importance of the “community-built parameters” guiding these scenarios. These parameters highlight core values such as honor, integrity, belonging, and inclusion.

An interesting aspect of the discussion was the district’s policy for students attending schools outside their designated boundaries. Families who previously selected a different school for their child can retain that choice without reapplying, particularly for current in-district transfer students and those under open enrollment. However, students attending their assigned home school must transition to the new boundary-designated schools. To address community concerns, a new provision allows fifth and eighth graders in the 2026-2027 school year to remain at their current schools if desired.

The school board also addressed the practical aspects of implementing the new boundaries, such as the use of interactive maps available on the district’s website. These maps allow families to visualize how specific boundary changes will affect their children. The district provided Chromebooks at the meeting for attendees to explore these resources, emphasizing the importance of informed community feedback.

Community engagement was a focal point, with multiple avenues for input, including small group discussions and a Google form accessible via a QR code presented during the meeting. Board member Erica Foster acknowledged the community’s active participation and stressed the importance of staying informed through district communication channels.

The proposed boundary changes were presented against the backdrop of the district’s broader strategic plans, including the construction of a new elementary school set to open in the fall of 2026. This school will help accommodate the anticipated growth in student population due to new housing developments.

In addition to the boundary changes, the meeting highlighted the need to address the long gap since the last major boundary adjustments, over 15 years ago. The current enrollment and capacity management advisory committee has been monitoring trends, showing some schools are overpopulated while others are under capacity. The boundary changes aim to balance these discrepancies.

The session concluded with a timeline for finalizing and announcing the new boundaries by May. The changes will take effect in the fall of 2026, except for Crest View Elementary, which will be repurposed for pre-kindergarten grades and community-based programs starting in 2025. Current students and staff at Crest View will transition to new schools during the 2025-26 school year.