It could be at least until 2019 before Battle Ground Public Schools makes boundary changes to alleviate overcrowding at its southern campuses, news that drew the ire of a group of Glenwood Heights Primary School teachers who attended Monday’s school board meeting.
The board that evening approved the formation of a task force that will explore different options for boundary adjustments in light of continued failures of district bond measures, with the goal of approving those changes for the 2019-2020 school year.
But for the group of Glenwood Heights staff who attended the meeting, clad in their red school T-shirts, 2019 is not soon enough.
Schools at the district’s south end, including Glenwood Heights Primary School and nearby Laurin Middle School, are being squeezed by continued growth in the surrounding neighborhood. Staff said the growth is affecting student learning and campus safety, and asked that the board more directly communicate with teachers in decision making moving forward.
Kris Peters, a math intervention specialist, said the district’s most at-needs students have been disproportionately affected by growth. Those who need extra support, either through additional reading or math classes, are forced to meet in the hallway because there’s no classroom for them.
The school’s English-language learners — 152 of them at the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction’s last count — have one classroom, she said.
“That’s the only space they have,” Peters said.
Special education teacher Lesli Collum said the group is concerned about transparency and accountability at the district level. She said the district hasn’t directly involved teachers and staff in discussions about overcrowding.
“We need a full committee with members of staff and community members so we can hear more long-term solutions,” Collum said. “We want to be part of the solution, not part of the problem.”
Despite the frustration from teachers, the board said it would be premature to make decisions for this upcoming school year, to groans and muttering from the crowd.
Superintendent Mark Ross said the board needs to be transparent as it considers changing boundaries, which would require staffing changes, new bus routes and other logistical challenges.
“We would want to make sure that as we finish the process, that people are comfortable with the moves and where they’re going,” Ross said.
Board president Ken Root spoke directly to the crowd of Glenwood staff, saying, “We totally hear what you guys are saying.”
“Everyone up here knows that Glenwood-Laurin is overcrowded, and we know we have to do something, but we want to be as transparent as possible,” he said.
Added Root: “I would love to do it tomorrow.”
