Donald Eismann Elementary School will gain a permanent population next year, when McAlder Elementary’s students are permanently relocated to the campus for the 2011-2012 school year and beyond.
The Sumner School District will formally announce the plan and discuss parent feedback so far at the Nov. 17 school board meeting at Victor Falls Elementary.
The district has used Eismann as a temporary campus for students, teachers and staff of Victor Falls Elementary and Bonney Lake Elementary as those schools underwent extensive remodels. Maple Lawn Elementary will undergo its remodel during the 2011-2012 school year, but its students will transfer to McAlder during that time. At the end of the school year, the aging McAlder building will close as a school and be repurposed for other district use.
Options for an eventual McAlder closure were discussed at the Oct. 13 school board meeting. Another option discussed at that time was redrawing school jurisdiction boundaries.
The choice to entirely transfer McAlder students was a logistical one.
“McAlder has 100 percent student bussing, whereas Maple Lawn is primarily a walking school,” District Spokeswoman Ann Cook said. “McAlder students already take the bus to school, so that won’t change, but the buses will be taking them to a different location.”
Parents of both schools were notified by a letter sent home with students, whom had been told the contents of the letter to a degree appropriate to their age level, Cook said. The letter was followed up with a website notification and e-mail. Principals of each elementary were the first line of contacts for explaining changes to parents, and more extensive questions were kicked up to the district office.
Details regarding specific bus routes are not in place as of yet. Bus pick-up times may change, but school start time will not, Cook said.
The November school board meeting is at Victor Falls Elementary Nov. 17, following the ribbon-cutting and dedication ceremony for that campus. Scheduled meeting start time is 6:30 p.m.
