Colorado Springs School District 11 officials had planned formal presentations Tuesday night on proposed elementary and high school boundary changes due to the upcoming closure of three schools.

Instead, the small number of people who attended received one-on-one attention from administrators.

Sarah White and her 16-year-old son Logan, a sophomore at Palmer High School sought certainty. According to the proposed boundary, Logan’s high school would be Coronado.

Logan, who plays football and wrestles, wants to stay at Palmer. D-11 staff told them his enrollment won’t have to change because he’s already at Palmer.

Speaking to the Palmer principal and others Tuesday night was a big relief, Logan said.

Even the question of transportation was addressed. D-11 officials said some transportation will remain for choice students.

“It sounds like it will all work out,” White said.

Only four people attended the elementary session, and about 20 came for high school boundaries.

The board approved a comprehensive plan Feb. 6 that included closing Wasson High School and Lincoln and Bates elementary schools at the end of this school year, moves that require changing school boundaries.

A week later, board members approved a modified School Choice policy for the district that gives displaced students a higher priority for a chance to attend the school of their choice.

High school students will be spread among Coronado, Doherty, Mitchell and Palmer. Students in kindergarten through fourth grade now at Bates and Lincoln are expected to attend Jackson, Edison, Audubon or Fremont elementary schools.

Brian Worby is not pleased with the boundary proposals. He said D-11 officials should have found places for Wasson students and left boundaries unchanged. The boundary changes may disrupt enrollment for three years, he said, and he has concerns about ongoing transportation for younger choice students.

His family lives in a Coronado attendance “island” near Doherty. His daughter is a junior at Coronado. His eighth-grade son has been looking forward to attending the same school as his sister and now will have to choice in.

“He’s low on the priority list,” he said, adding that he understands why Wasson students have a higher priority.

D-11 officials have said they don’t foresee problems for students who want to attend a school outside their residential boundary.

If the board approves school boundary changes next week, all impacted students will receive a letter with information and instructions in about five days, said Superintendent Nicholas Gledich. Even students whose enrollment is grandfathered will be expected to notify their schools of their intention to remain.

Although the proposed boundary changes mean that some students may no longer have to submit a permit to attend their selected school, some parents aren’t waiting.

Patty McLaughlin’s son is an eight-grader at Mann Middle School.

“A lot of his friends are going to Palmer,” she said. “They caused a lot of anxiety” she said of days between board decisions and proposed boundaries.

Although her family lives within the newly proposed Palmer boundary, she turned in a choice application. Between that and the maps presented to the board, her son is feeling much better about next school year, McLaughlin said.

Maps and other details are available on the D-11 website by clicking on “Proposed Boundary & Permit/Choice Information” from the homepage, www.d11.org. A vote is expected Feb. 27.

A second proposed high school boundary map was drawn up after board discussion. A small change would have some students currently in the Doherty boundary area attending Mitchell.

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