Moore School Board Redraws Elementary Districts

By Jesse Olivarez, The Daily Oklahoman

Apr. 12–Parents’ advisory council comes up with plan to address overcrowding as 505 new students move in

MOORE — School officials Monday approved a plan to redraw district lines to prevent overcrowding at two elementary schools on the city’s east side.

The plan calls for 85 students from Broadmoore Elementary to be moved to Apple Creek Elementary and 15 students from Bryant Elementary to move to Winding Creek Elementary.

The changes approved will affect some students living just west of S Bryant between SE 19 and NW 27.

Ann Caine, executive director of elementary education and instruction for Moore schools, presented the plan from the parents advisory council to the school board Monday.

Caine said the changes were necessary because of the rapid growth the district has experienced.

Since June, 505 elementary students have moved into the district, Caine said.

Caine told the board the principals of both Broadmoore and Bryant elementary schools had complained about the recent overcrowding at their schools.

She said the advisory committee, which consists of teachers and parents, decided to move the students after they learned that both Winding Creek and Apple Creek Elementary had four empty classrooms.

School board member Lois Evans said the district had few alternatives.

“I don’t know what else we can do,” Evans said. “We just can’t keep up.”

Cain said she called all of the parents of the students affected to get their feedback on the proposed changes. Cain said most parents she spoke with were not happy with the move because they were happy with their children’s current school.

“I’m glad parents like the schools their children are enrolled in,” she said. “That is a good thing — but I believe we are at a point where we have few options.”

As part of the approved plan, students attending Broadmoore and Bryant who will be entering the sixth grade in the 2006-07 school year may be allowed to continue attending the schools if their parents agree to provide their own transportation.

In addition, siblings to students “grandfathered” in will be given first priority for intra-district transfers based on space availability beginning Aug. 8.

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