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Brookings board advances two elementary‑boundary maps for public comment
Summary
After a detailed presentation and discussion about balancing enrollment and student services, the Brookings School Board voted to post two elementary boundary options (2A and 2B) for public feedback and scheduled a March 23 workshop to gather community input.
The Brookings School Board on Monday advanced two draft elementary boundary maps for public review, saying the changes aim to equalize enrollment and improve the distribution of student services across three elementary schools.
School planner Chris Grunhagen presented the two options — 2A and a revised 2B — that would move neighborhoods to rebalance Dakota Prairie (currently about 460 students), Madera (about 355) and Hillrest (about 250). Option 2A returns Aurora and parts of 22nd Avenue to Hillrest and shifts families from Dakota Prairie to Madera and Hillrest; Option 2B keeps similar returns but proposes an alternate adjustment that would move a southern portion of Indian Hills into Madera to better balance enrollments.
Grunhagen said the work attempts to limit repeated moves for the same families while reaching roughly 350–375 students at each facility under the proposals. "This option continues to have those neighborhoods — Aurora and neighborhoods along 22nd Avenue — returning them to Hillrest just as they were in that original option," he said, explaining why the team flagged a small subarea (the "blue box") for additional stakeholder input.
Superintendent Dr. Summer Schultz told the board the district will publish interactive maps so parents can enter an address to see how each option would affect their child. "We will have that interactive map up on our website and also we will send out just a news release to all of our parents on the two options," she said.
Board members focused on safety, transportation and demographic impacts, asking staff to collect more input on traffic flow, busing mileage and subgroup distributions (free/reduced lunch, English‑language learners and special education). Transportation staff member Nate provided preliminary data showing potential reductions in total annual bus miles if Aurora is reassigned to Hillrest.
The board voted to advance both Options 2A and 2B for public comment and scheduled a workshop for March 23 to receive feedback before a final decision. Staff said the district will accept written input, provide an address lookup on the website, and reserve part of the March 23 meeting for public comment.
What happens next: The district will post the interactive maps, solicit community feedback for roughly two weeks, and reconvene on March 23 to consider resident input before selecting a final boundary.'
