Meeting on new Merced elementary school boundaries is Thursday

Boundary changes are coming to Merced’s 13 elementary schools, due to the upcoming move of sixth-graders from the middle school level to the elementaries next year.

The second of three public hearings and informational meetings on prospective boundary changes is planned from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Hoover Middle School, 800 E. 26th St.

Another session is planned from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Dec. 11 at Rivera Middle School, 945 Buena Vista Drive. The first meeting was held Nov. 20 at Cruickshank Middle School, with close to 100 parents attending.

Besides the three meetings, information about boundary changes has been given to parents through automated telephone messages.

RoseMary Parga Duran, Merced City School District superintendent, said boundary changes have been precipitated by the moving of sixth-graders to elementary schools. That switch was made because Merced’s middle schools have become overcrowded.

Duran said middle school attendance boundaries won’t be changing but there will be boundary changes at all 13 of the district’s elementary schools. She added that certain elementary schools will need to be downsized to accommodate the sixth-graders.

The process of moving the sixth-graders is beginning with the changing of Rivera Middle School to an elementary and a middle school campus. That $8 million project will be done by the fall of 2015.

“Inevitably some people won’t be pleased,” Duran said. “Boundaries will have to change. We are trying to make the process more user-friendly. Unfortunately, some people will have to move.”

Board of Education member Gene Stamm said board members will gather comments and recommendations before coming up with a solution to attendance boundary changes.

“Hopefully not everyone will be upset,” Stamm said. “I think that can be done. It will take several board meetings to hammer out the boundaries. Boundary changes are never easy.”

He said the board wouldn’t rubber stamp administrative recommendations for boundary changes.

Greg Spicer, associate superintendent for administrative services, said it’s time for the district to redo elementary boundaries. He acknowledges many parents and students want to stay at their present schools, but that’s not always possible.

Board member Susan Walsh said it costs a third to a half more to build a new middle school compared with an elementary school campus. She said elementary schools need to be at about 600 students. Burbank, Chenoweth and Peterson elementaries are each near 800 pupils now, she said, and that’s too many.

“We understand people are concerned. I don’t believe there are any bad schools, and we believe there are bright, caring teachers at every school,” Walsh said.

Spicer said the criteria for boundary changes include considering natural barriers such as railroad tracks, major thoroughfares or creeks. If a student must cross one of these, then bus transportation must be provided.

Duran said the boundary adjustment process needs to be done by January. She said officials will try to accommodate as many people as they can.

This story was originally published December 2, 2014 at 8:23 PM with the headline "Meeting on new Merced elementary school boundaries is Thursday."