District 300 to rezone school boundary as population grows

Algonquin-based School District 300 plans to rezone a school boundary to feed more students into Dundee Middle School.

Under the new map, students who attend Gilberts Elementary School, 729 Paperbark Lane in Gilberts, would attend middle school at Dundee Middle School, 4200 W. Main St. in Dundee.

Hampshire Middle School, 560 S. State St. in Hampshire, is nearing capacity and will be unable to accommodate students in the coming years if Gilberts elementary students are sent there, according to district documents. The middle school has 1,035 of the district’s 20,855 students.

The school board will vote on the matter 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at District 300’s central office, 2550 Harnish Drive, Algonquin.

“It’s a discussion we’ve been having about the last five months about Hampshire Middle School reaching capacity because the west side of our district continues to grow,” said Superintendent Fred Heid, adding that the district has added additional classrooms to mitigate the problem over the years.

According to a superintendent report with data from a recent study, the district grows by about 100 students each year. In 2018, the district was up nearly 150 students. The report found that Hampshire Middle School will be at maximum capacity in 2020.

Heid said the district didn’t rush the decision to change the boundary, and Dundee Middle School’s close proximity to Gilberts Elementary was a factor. The change will affect about 380 students, according to district documents.

“There are several factors that we look at. We look at the shortest possible duration on a bus, we look at neighborhood schools, we look at establishing school feeder patterns,” he said. “We have Dundee Middle School right down the street, so we made a decision to start reviewing the boundary.”

He said eighth-graders removed by the boundary change will stay at Hampshire Middle School.

“As with our past history with rezoning, we allow eighth-graders to stay in their school to complete that path within that school setting,” he said. “For example, this year’s seventh-graders and next year’s eighth-graders will be allowed to stay at Hampshire Middle School. We were also able to come up with a recommendation to provide transportation to those students.”

However, sixth-grade students in the new boundary who would enter seventh grade at Hampshire Middle School next year will still be allowed to enroll if space allows. They will not be provided transportation, according to district documents.

"Students entering sixth grade next year will be rezoned to Dundee Middle School," Heid said. "It's going to affect current sixth-graders, current seventh-graders and then incoming sixth-graders who all reside within the Gilberts Elementary School attendance boundary."

He said the change could be viewed as a positive.

“Dundee Middle School is actually much closer to their homes,” he said. Gilberts Elementary is about three miles from the middle school.

“Growth happens, and that is truly where we are,” Heid said. “We’ve seen continued growth on the east side of our district, continued growth on the west side of our district and minimal and some decline in the center portion of our district. We want to make sure that we’re maximizing our efficiencies and occupancies. ... This is a long-term solution.”

Heid said some teachers will be relocated, but no one will be laid off. He said he’s been in contact with the teachers’ union but is not sure how many will be moved.

“The total number of students is what drives the teacher numbers,” he said, adding that the district wants to avoid confusion. “You’ll see a natural transition over two years where teachers will be allowed to be transferred internally. No one’s laid off, there are no cuts. Teachers follow the students.”

When asked if the district considered building another middle school, Heid said he doesn’t believe the costs and time-frame would make it feasible.

“For a K-8, which would be absolutely ideal for that side of town, you’re looking at about $65 million,” he said, adding that it would take years to build and go to a referendum. “Rezoning helps accomplish and address a number of the issues we’re facing in the next three to five years with growth.”