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Parents press board over proposed Maple Ridge boundary realignment and open-enrollment impacts
Summary
Residents who live inside the Maple Ridge attendance area urged the Nebo School District board to reconsider a proposal that would reassign a neighborhood to Sierra Bonita Elementary, saying the move would displace current students and fail to account for nearby development.
Nebo School District trustees heard a lengthy update Jan. 8 on a boundary realignment process focused on Maple Ridge and Sierra Bonita elementary schools and fielded public comment from residents who oppose shifting their neighborhood into a different attendance area.
District staff said the realignment process began in December, that patrons in the affected boundaries were notified by U.S. Postal Service and electronically, and that a public hearing will be held in February with a final board decision scheduled for March. Staff said they maintain a running spreadsheet of patron comments (11 at the time of the meeting) and plan to continue updating it as responses arrive.
Staff told the board the immediate driver for the review is significant housing growth near Maple Ridge: the district estimated about 150 dwelling units in the area (roughly 50 under construction and another 100 planned) that could add students as parcels are completed. Staff also flagged a cluster of lots and phased development along the Maple Ridge boundary that make exact projections uncertain; they recommended caution before rescinding open enrollment because doing so can temporarily free seats that then refill when enrollment moves. Staff estimated that rescinding open enrollment at Maple Ridge could free about 40 seats but cautioned the numbers could change as new homes are completed.
During public comment, Maple Ridge parents Emily and Darren Faye urged the board not to displace students. Emily Faye said the neighborhood is an established community and raised numbers from city and development officials, telling the board “Moving our tiny community is not going to help the larger picture.” Darren Faye, who said he has experience working with students with behavioral needs, urged the board to prioritize students’ educational continuity and to reassess plans if they cannot avoid student disruption.
Board members and staff discussed how rescinding open enrollment at affected schools is governed by state law and how the district must post capacity figures and follow formal notification timelines. Staff also said they have discussed crossing-guard and traffic-safety measures with the city should boundaries change.
Ending: The board did not make a final decision at the Jan. 8 meeting; staff reiterated the next official steps are a February public hearing and a March board decision, and they will continue to collect patron comments and update projections as new housing data become available.
