Dear Redmond School District Families and Community,

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving break!  I want to share that later this winter we will begin a school boundary review process. A boundary review is a community-driven conversation designed to balance enrollment across our schools by updating attendance areas. Over the past several years, unequal residential housing development throughout the district have caused an increase in enrollment at some of our elementary schools while maintaining a steady enrollment at other schools. This will primarily affect elementary school enrollment over the next several years.

To continue providing students with strong learning environments, we will work with families, staff and community members to assess our current boundaries and bring recommendations to the Board of Directors in the spring. Redmond School District will be partnering with MGT to provide updated data-driven student enrollment forecasts and develop draft boundary scenarios

We are currently seeing increased capacity pressures at several of our elementary schools. While some buildings have available classroom space. Those differences may not be immediately visible because of the student shuffling that occurred at the beginning of this school year. We also welcomed more kindergarten students than originally projected. These shifts highlight the need to take a district-wide look at how we are serving students at every level.

There will soon be a dedicated page on our website with all the information about the boundary review. This will include timeline, data, maps and feedback forms. We will keep everyone updated on Parentsquare and on social media. Next Monday we will be sending out a survey. MGT will be giving a presentation to the RSD Board of Directors at the next board meeting on December 10th at 5:30 p.m which is available online or in person.  

Our initial guiding principles for the boundary review process include:

• Minimizing disruption to students' established learning programs

• Working to have balanced capacities across schools

• Maintaining relationships with middle school and high school attendance areas

• Coordinating transportation routes with attendance areas

• Supporting proximity to home whenever possible, including walkability and avoiding major barriers

• Taking a district-wide perspective that considers current and future growth

A boundary review can be a stressful and emotional topic. I recognize that conversations about potential changes are not always easy. We would avoid adjusting boundaries if we could. However, when some schools are over-enrolled while others have additional capacity, it leads to uneven student experiences, whether in class sizes, program opportunities or district services. Balancing enrollment helps create more consistent opportunities and working conditions across the district.

Thank you for your continued partnership and your support of our schools. We will keep you informed each step of the way and will create opportunities for you to share your voice throughout this process. I know these conversations may feel uncertain at times, but please know that we are committed to approaching this work with transparency, care and compassion for every family in our district.

With appreciation,

Dr. Charan Cline

Superintendent

Redmond School District