Parents, teachers urge board to keep Waimea Park open, demand more community input

Community members packed the board meeting to oppose a potential rezoning that could relocate Waimea Park Elementary and place Bridgeway Academy on its campus. Eleven public commenters described the school as a ‘‘home’’ and asked the board to delay decisions until the district holds additional public meetings and shares more information.

Sarah Raymond, a parent, told the board, "This meeting's existence is the antithesis of what we teach our children. You made a decision to rid the county of an educational landmark and you thought that it would be easier to ask forgiveness instead of permission, and you were wrong." Former legislator Karen Thurman asked the board to table the rezoning and hold further hearings so families could be heard. Several teachers and former students cited recent improvements in behavior and attendance and questioned the timing of the proposal, which many learned about only days before school started.

Board members acknowledged the concerns and debated options later in the agenda. Some members said the plan's overall facilities work is needed but that the district should provide more community outreach specifically related to Waimea Park. The board ultimately removed the Waimea-related bullets from the immediate vote and said it would schedule community meetings and additional conversations before final rezoning votes.

The public comments spanned a range of specific requests: confirmation of timeline and data used for enrollment and capacity decisions, clearer notice of community meetings, and assurances that supports such as school pantries and community partnerships would continue if campuses are repurposed. The board chair thanked speakers for coming and said the district would follow up with community meetings to gather input before the rezoning process resumes.