Summer 2019 Elementary School Planning Work

In Summer 2019, Planning and Evaluation staff invited a cross section of instructional leaders from schools and central office to discuss some of the staff-identified challenges in planning for the Fall 2020 boundary process. The purpose of the meetings was to share information and discuss all possible approaches. Below is the staff work for those meetings, including:

  • internal meetings with central office staff
  • detailed meeting agendas
  • presentations

Throughout this process, central office staff created eight maps including some with single considerations only, some with school moves, and some that involved “pairing” schools as lower and upper campuses. The work below was developed in support of these wide-ranging discussions and used by staff to develop proposals after considering APS conditions and capabilities.

Attendees at the meetings included school and instructional leaders and central office staff. The presentations and scenarios, including the final proposals shared with the community, were created by Planning and Evaluation staff with other central office departments.

July 15 ES Planning Meeting

August 8 Meeting

August 21 Meeting

The following guiding principles resulted from brainstorming at the planning meetings

  • Follow boundary policy considerations
  • Balance demographics among schools when possible
  • Adhere to walk zones as much as possible
  • Use existing space as efficiently as possible
  • Increase operational efficiencies to keep more resources in the classroom
  • Put instructional needs in the forefront of planning processes
  • What are the best possible sites to maintain the instructional integrity of option schools (e.g., 50/50 Immersion, Montessori)
  • Locate PreK where needed

 Questions staff considered when developing scenarios (based on brainstorming at meetings)

Instruction

  • What are the best possible sites to maintain the instructional integrity of option schools (ex. 50/50 Immersion, Montessori)?
  • How can we reduce wait lists at option schools/program?

Policy

  • How can we balance demographics (F/RL) across the county?
  • How important is it to use buildings efficiently? (Address capacity utilization)

Operations

  • How are possible moves helping us reach our objectives?

Scenarios Created Summer 2019

Created by Planning and Evaluation staff for the July 15 Meeting

Created from brainstorming at the July 15 Meeting; Shared at the Aug. 8 Meeting

Created from brainstorming received at the Aug. 8 Meeting; Shared at the Aug. 21 Meeting