Parents campaigning for Snoqualmie Valley school boundary options?

Snoqualmie Valley School District officials weighing more than 1,300 parent comments in this spring's elementary school boundary review process caution residents that the change is not a popularity contest.

Concerned parents flooded into both public comment meetings held Monday and Tuesday, March 29 and 30, at North Bend Elementary and Snoqualmie Middle School, but none took the microphone. Rather, the district asked parents to write their comments down on cards, which were then read to the district's boundary review committee, made up of school staff and officials.

Jeff Hogan, facilitator for the and the district's director of instructional technology, noticed a phenomenon at the second meeting that was different from the first.

"What was heard on Tuesday night was unique," Hogan told the Record.

Monday's meeting saw more support for options A and C, while Tuesday's meeting saw increased support for option F.

As Hogan and school district staff began looking through comments Tuesday night, they began seeing various versions of the same comment.

"It's hard to say what the sense is, if parents are leaning towards one or the other," Hogan said. "There is a skewing of data."

Hogan said he concerned by the possibility of comment box stuffing.

Some parent comments addressed options potentially decreasing student participation in after school activities, diminishing parent involvement, causing new rezoning in a few years, cutting down on transportation costs.

One parent also commented about the removal of Deer Park neighborhood, the newest development, in Option F. That writer felt that Deer Park was favored compared with a number of other, older neighborhoods who have been in the area.

"These homebuyers knew capacity problems existed in the schools," said the parent.

Several comments reflected parents' desires for students to stay in their established schools.

"Option A and C prevents fostering community within families," stated one comment.

More comments are expected prior to a committee recommendation to the board on April 15. Despite the perception of possible campaigns for specific options, Hogan said many comments have been helpful.

"It's not a popularity contest," Hogan said. "It truly is trying to choose what's best for all kids, to minimize disruption and to deliver the service and programs for what kids need."

School changes

Neighborhood moves in the proposed elementary boundary change options include:

Option A (Chosen)

•To NBES from SES:

-Deer Park

-Aster Creek/Ridgestone

-Forster Woods

-Circle River

-Moon Valley

•To SES from CVES:

-Eagle Lake Area: Bandera, Crestview, Palilisades,

Edgeview

•To OES from NBES:

-Wilderness Rim

•To FCES from SES:

-Eagle Point

-Future neighborhoods in plat 25 (west side of Parkway)

Option C (Chosen)

•To NBES from SES

-Deer Park

-Aster Creek/Ridgestone

-Forster Woods

-Circle River

-Moon Valley

•To SES from CVES:

-"K-North" including north end of Douglas Ave., north end

of Silent Creek Ave., S.E. Dio, S.E. Chochrane, S.E.

Knowles, Carmichael Loop

-Cascade Ave S.E., Cascade "Loop", Fairway Pl. S.E.

Palmeter Lane

•To OES from NBES:

-Wilderness Rim

•To FCES from SES:

-Eagle Point

-Future neighborhoods in plat 25 (west side of Parkway)

Option F (Added)

•To NBES from SES:

-Forster Woods

-Circle River

-Moon Valley

•To NBES from CVES:

-Eagle Lake Area: Bandera, Crestview Palisades, Edgeview and

surrounding area

•TO OES from NBES:

-Wilderness Rim

•To FCES from SES:

-Eagle Point

-Future neighborhoods in plat 25 (west side of Parkway)

Contact Snoqualmie Valley Record Reporter Allison Espiritu at aespiritu@valleyrecord,com or 425-888-2311.

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