Crystal Lake District 47 sets new middle school attendance boundaries

Crystal Lake Elementary School District 47 has approved boundary changes for its three middle schools.

The school board’s move at its Monday evening meeting, which aims to do a better job of grouping together students based on future high school attendance, will be implemented next school year.

Before the board there had been two options to vote on. Option 1, had the neighborhood immediately surrounding Lundahl Middle School going to Lundahl. In Option 2, students would instead have gone to Richard Bernotas Middle School, a school further away.

The board ultimately chosen Option 1, which followed concerns raised by parents about the alternative.

The boundary committee that put together the options, which were narrowed down to the two alternatives the school board considered Monday. The committee was made up of district staff, administration, board members, parents and community members. It took into consideration future geographic changes, such as new residential developments in the area, including Water’s Edge on Route 14, Redwood Living on Central Park Drive and Derbyshire on Bard and Huntley roads.

The concerns of parents were also taken into consideration. At previous board meetings, some parents had opposed Option 2, saying they favored walkability and less travel time. Concerns of increased costs for busing were also raised.

The new boundary plan will allow more students to stay at their nearby middle school. District officials said these changes are necessary to balance enrollment and make effective use of resources. The vote will keep more students with their peers for as long as possible.

Families potentially affected should expect to learn by the end of the week whether their address is in the updated boundary map. The district’s website also will provide the option to enter an address to verify the assigned school.

“The district and the board of education recognize the disruption these changes may bring for some families. … To support the social-emotional well-being of our students during changes, counselors will be available, events will be organized to help students connect, and peer support systems will be in place at each middle school to assist those affected,” Superintendent Kathy Hinz said in a letter to parents.

The new middle school boundary assignments will take effect in the 2025-26 school year. Students entering eighth grade can request to remain at their current school with the responsibility to provide their own transportation. The new middle school routes will be shared with families in August, ahead of the start of the school year.

According to the District 47 website, d47.org, the second phase involving the district’s nine elementary schools will start next year. The boundary committee is set to review those on Jan. 14.

Community feedback will help the committee develop scenarios to be presented to the board, as it did for the middle schools boundary plan.

No changes are anticipated to the elementary boundaries until at least the 2026-27 school year.