Wheeling CCSD 21 superintendent invites parents to join community-led boundary review committee

Dr. Michael Connelly, superintendent of Wheeling CCSD 21, announced a community-led boundary review this month and invited parents and caregivers to serve on a map design committee to examine school attendance lines.

Connelly said the effort is intended to examine whether current boundaries still serve students effectively and to develop options informed by both data and community input. “This is a community driven process with no predetermined outcome,” he said.

The committee is charged with researching options, listening to stakeholders, gathering feedback, and evaluating proposals to produce solutions informed by enrollment data and family perspectives. Connelly emphasized that family participation will help ensure the work reflects community experiences and priorities.

Connelly noted the district has changed significantly since boundaries were last redrawn “more than two decades ago,” pointing to shifts in enrollment patterns, student needs, and family demographics as reasons to review the map. He described the review’s core goal as producing balanced schools that prevent overcrowding, support equitable class size, and make better use of facilities.

The superintendent urged interested community members to learn more about the committee and consider participating, and said the district will share details about how to participate as the process moves forward. No dates, application deadlines, membership size, or final decision timelines were specified in the announcement.

Next steps offered by the superintendent include public information about the committee and ongoing communications; Connelly did not announce a formal vote, timeline for implementation, or specific boundary options at this meeting.