North Bend board approves K–2/3–5 elementary reconfiguration amid transportation concerns

The North Bend School District Board of Directors voted to reconfigure its two elementary schools into a K–2 and a 3–5 model to be implemented during the 2026–27 school year after extensive public comment and board deliberations.

Board members and district leaders said declining enrollment and uneven class sizes made the change necessary to preserve elective programs and reduce unsustainable workloads for teachers. "We are trying to make it so that we can efficiently minimize class sizes," a board member said during debate, noting the district faced options such as redrawing boundaries or making staffing changes that would still leave some classrooms over capacity.

The proposal drew sustained public pushback focused on transportation and family disruption. Katie Gonzales, a parent, described a third-grade child with special needs who lives 0.3 miles from school but now spends “an hour to an hour and 15 minutes” on the bus each day, arguing that route times must be fixed before a reconfiguration proceeds. Clyde Jane Gordon, another parent, urged the board to postpone the decision until the district has the results of its bus RFP and clear contingency plans: "You are asking us to accept a fixed deadline for 2026 without providing the concrete plans to prove it is even possible."

District administrators said the transportation RFP is already published and is designed to reduce ride time, offer flexible routing and increase safety, including expectations for social-emotional supports on buses. In the RFP, administrators say they will seek proposals that keep extended routes under 45 minutes when feasible.

Supporters argued reconfiguration is a proactive step to protect programs such as music and other electives from future cuts driven by smaller cohorts and to reduce chronic teacher workload. Board member Julie Hale described the decision as difficult and personal: "This has been exhausting. This has been emotional. This was an incredibly difficult decision to come to," and said the plan seeks to balance fiscal stewardship with student needs.

The motion to approve was made, seconded and the board called for the question before approving the plan; the transcript does not record a roll-call tally for the reconfiguration motion. The board directed administrators to return with implementation details, and the district cited the strategic plan and ongoing community engagement as guiding documents for rollout.

Next steps the district identified publicly include completing the transportation RFP evaluation, scoring provider proposals, and bringing detailed routing recommendations to the board. The district also said it will continue community engagement and provide more information to families about transitions for students and staff as work proceeds.

The board meeting packet and public comments—including questions about rides, contingency plans and staffing—will remain part of the public record as the district prepares implementation materials and timelines.