What IPSD 204 Parents, Students Say About Potential District Boundary Changes

AURORA, IL — As Indian Prairie School District 204 considers how to balance enrollment at its schools, one concept has community members worried about student safety, performance and mental health.

At Monday night's board meeting, 20 people expressed their concerns and frustrations with the idea that schools would close and/or that feeder schools would change. District 204 serves families in Naperville, Aurora, Bolingbrook and Plainfield.

The district is in the process of conceptualizing how to re-draw district boundaries based on enrollment. A Boundary Committee was formed earlier this year, made up of about 60 members.

The district says some buildings on the north side of the district have too many students, or are projected to in the coming years. This includes Longwood Elementary School, Granger Middle School, Scullen Middle School and Metea Valley High School. And, some buildings on the south side have too few students, or are projected to. This includes Neuqua Valley High School and 15 elementary schools.

The most recent concepts for how the district might redraw boundaries are available here; there were originally three, but the planning commission has eliminated one from contention.

The Boundary Committee has not finalized any concepts; the process is scheduled to conclude in December. The Board of Education will be responsible for approving or denying a finalized proposal, and will likely vote in January.

Concept #1 involves closing a number of elementary schools, an idea that community members at the meeting staunchly opposed.

Among the concerns are impacts on students' mental health, increased commute times and/or students being unable to walk to school, and a fracturing of relationships that students and parents have built with friends and teachers.

Parent Jose Leon Jr. said it does not make sense to him that the district is considering closing schools including Clow Elementary.

"We want our kids together, with their friends, in their community, as it should be," said Leon, the father of current, former and future Clow students.

"What concerns me is that you all knew that closing schools would not be a popular option," he said. "And yet, you are still keeping that option open and on the table.

"We shouldn't have to tell you that closing our schools is not what we want."

Cheryl Borrowdale has children at Builta Elementary, which is one of the schools that would close under Concept #1. She said there would be no way for students to walk to another school, adding to a sense of isolation for the students.

"We also feel that as the only Bolingbrook school...we get lost in the shuffle," she said. "We don't want to be devalued as a less important part of this community."

Borrowdale said many South Asian families live in the Builta neighborhood, and the school has hired teachers and staff to work with that part of the community.

"We have a very defined and different community in our school that we would like to keep together," she said.

Tracie Skindzier, PTA president at Graham Elementary, said her community has seen "significant growth" in enrollment, and that the housing market is healthy in the community.

"We see no justification for closing Graham or any other 204 school," she said.

"Were you to come visit our school in person, which we encourage you to do, you would see that we do not have one empty classroom. Every single room at Graham is in use."

Concept #1 would also divide the Welch Elementary community, having students in neighborhoods north of 87th Street go to Owen Elementary and eventually feed in to Waubonsie High School.

Paul Casco, a freshman at Neuqua Valley, said going to Waubonsie would have dramatically impacted his daily routine.

"Not only would I have a longer commute home due to after-school activities and distance, I would actually have to end my day earlier due to the bus coming sooner in the morning," said Casco, who plays football at NVHS. "The time after school that I dedicate towards homework...spending time with my family...(and) interacting with those that I love would be reduced."

Vamsi Koduri, whose child is in a wheelchair, said a longer bus ride would exhaust his son and would give the family less time to schedule physical, occupational, and speech therapy. Koduri is in the Welch-Neuqua community.

"Please let the boundaries be drawn with empathy, rather than sharp, straight lines that do not unite, but divide," Koduri said.

"With the strength, support, and the spirit of our community right behind me, I sincerely hope IPSD will consider my request."

Aastha Nirmal is a Neuqua Valley senior, and spoke of the impact closing schools would have on low-income families in the Welch neighborhood.

"For them, being able to get to school early is the difference between having breakfast and going to bed hungry," she said.

Nirmal also said a potential loss of sleep could be extremely detrimental to students' health, as well.

More than 20 people had signed up to talk, but the public comment period was limited to one hour and each person was allowed three minutes; thus, there was not enough time for everyone to speak.

School board president Laurie Donahue thanked the speakers for their input, and said anyone is welcome to email their concerns to the board, as well.

"We are very diligent in reading your emails," she said. "We all read what you write."

The next Boundary Committee meeting for Indian Prairie School District 204 is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 27 at 6:30 p.m. at Still Middle School. Community forums will be held in November.