Fifteen district residents have been selected to be part of a committee that will study and make recommendations to the HPISD Board of Trustees for new elementary school attendance boundaries to go into effect in the 2020-21 school year. The committee includes two volunteers from each current school attendance zone (eight total), two additional community members, as well as current and former trustees.
The Boundary Rezoning Committee will begin its work in April with the goal of making a recommendation for five elementary school boundaries, up from the existing four, to the Board in October, 2019. The committee members include:
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Three HPISD administrators, Superintendent Dr. Tom Trigg, Assistant Superintendent for Business Services Mike White and Chief of Staff Jon Dahlander will serve as ex-officio members.
"We were very pleased to have 60 people apply to serve on this committee, each of whom brought unique strengths to the process," Committee Chair and Trustee Paul Rowsey said. "I am confident that the individuals selected will be analytical, data-driven and approach our task with a district-wide perspective."
For the first time in its 105-year history, Highland Park ISD will have five elementary schools in operation. The newest campus, located at 8385 Durham, is scheduled to open as its own school beginning in the 2020-21 school year. The school is currently occupied by students and staff from Hyer Elementary, which will be rebuilt during the 2019-20 school year. The new school will be named this fall following a process that will allow the community to nominate prospective names.
The committee will begin its work in April and will allow the public to observe all of its meetings. The district will provide regular updates on the committee's work and post its minutes online. In addition, throughout the process, community members will have the opportunity to provide input and feedback through an online form.
"Since every elementary school boundary is going to be impacted, we believe it is important that the community have an opportunity to observe the process and provide feedback," Rowsey said. "We recognize that parents, students and residents will be watching closely and we want everyone to understand the rationale for decisions that will eventually be made."
As previously announced, students who will be in the fourth grade during the 2020-21 school year will be given the option of attending their current school or attending the new school to which they will be assigned as the result of the new school boundaries.