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District lays out out‑of‑boundary deadline, enrollment and staffing plans for new schools; estimates $4 million startup costs
Summary
District staff updated the board on projected enrollment and staffing for the two new schools, outlined a tightened out‑of‑boundary application deadline (Feb. 21), efforts to stay FTE‑neutral and weekly principal coordination; staff estimated roughly $4 million in startup costs for administration, custodial, safety and other positions.
District staff presented a detailed update on enrollment projections, out‑of‑boundary procedures, staffing plans and procurement work tied to the opening of two new schools in the 2025‑26 cycle.
Why it matters: Opening new schools affects staffing, transportation, course offerings and budgets across the district; timing matters for hiring, bus routing and classroom assignments. District staff said they will hold the open‑enrollment/out‑of‑boundary window to Feb. 21 (the state open enrollment deadline), then finalize staffing by March 1 so schools can prepare schedules and bus routing.
Key points presented by staff: - Online out‑of‑boundary applications and a public communications campaign: Staff moved the out‑of‑boundary process to an online form to better track requests and asked the board and community to publicize the Feb. 21 deadline. The district will stop routine acceptance after that date to allow staffing finalization. - Enrollment and FTE planning: Staff presented projected FTE for the new junior high and high school and described efforts to share specialized CTE/performing‑arts staff across campuses where possible to remain FTE‑neutral (for example, sharing auto/CTE modules and performing‑arts teachers). The district will finalize staffing needs March 1 after exhausting sharing and licensure adjustments. - Budget and startup cost estimate: Staff presented a projected $4,000,000 startup cost to open the new schools, categorized to include administration, counseling, safety, custodial services and other site needs. The estimate is a planning figure, subject to contract and procurement completion. - Operational coordination: The district convenes weekly principal coordination meetings and a separate multi‑department Gantt group to track procurement, transportation and facilities tasks. Bus scheduling will use shared runs across schools to reduce fleet demand. Staff emphasized ongoing collaboration between teaching & learning, HR, transportation and facilities.
Board and staff next steps: Staff will finalize out‑of‑boundary lists, finalize March 1 staffing decisions and return with any required contract or budget adjustments. Principals have already begun joint planning for shared courses and staffing permutations.
Ending: Staff invited board tours and said public open‑house opportunities and school tours will be scheduled; the board will be notified of future site‑visit opportunities and ongoing updates.
