School plan re-balances enrollment - April 21, 2004

Mail Tribune (Medford, OR — Wayback)

2005-01-27

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40 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, January 27, 2005   Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery   SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries   Life   Opinion - Politics   Tempo   AP News   Weather   Classified   Archives   Site Map   SPECIAL SECTIONS   Since We Asked   Outdoor Journal   Menu Guide   How To Guide   Wellness Connection   Readers' Choice   Real Estate Showcase   Real Estate Guide   Joy Magazine   Homelife Magazine   Wedding Guide   Passport to the Rogue Valley   EXTRA   Newspaper in Education   Personals   Movie Times   TV Times   E The People   Volunteer Opportunities   Moving to Southern Oregon?   MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad  eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities   Entertainment   Publications   Recreation   Calendar   CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit   Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend April 21, 2004 School plan re-balances enrollment Medford school officials say fewer than 60 students will be affected by the changes By ANITA BURKE Mail Tribune The Medford School Board on Tuesday approved a plan that will gradually re-balance enrollment at North and South Medford high schools. A 36-member boundary committee recommended that students on Cherry Lane in east Medford attend South Medford High School rather than North Medford High School. The groups also suggested a minor adjustment to attendance area boundaries in the area of Rossanley Drive and Jackson Street. Fewer than 60 students would be affected by the changes, district reports said. The boundary committee, which included parents and principals from the district, recommended the changes to balance enrollment between the two schools, encourage diversity and keep middle school classmates together in high school. After hearing concerns about the switch from Cherry Lane residents, the committee developed a grandfather clause that would enable affected families to choose which high school their children attend. To take advantage of the grandfather clause, families must declare by June 1 in writing to the district which high school they want their children to attend. The choice will remain in effect as long as that family lives in their current home and will apply to all their children. A bus from South will serve the Cherry Lane neighborhood, but parents who want their children to continue at North must provide their own transportation, the grandfather clause said. Advertisement The new boundaries and grandfathering option will provide a gradual change in high school enrollments, district curriculum director Phil Long said. The boundary committee still is working on proposed boundary changes for elementary school attendance areas. They have focused on shifting still-developing neighborhoods instead of established neighborhoods in response to concerns from parents. A public hearing on the elementary school changes is set for 7 p.m. Thursday at Hedrick Middle School. "The public hearings did radically change the proposals," school board chairman Mike Moran said. He encouraged people to attend the hearing and bring their constructive criticism to the committee before it submitted its recommendation on the elementary boundaries to the board. The board expects to consider those changes next month. Reach reporter Anita Burke at 776-4485, or e-mail [email protected] . Mail Tribune Home Local News  | Sports  | Business  | Obituaries  | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives  |  Site Map   E Southern Oregon  | Classified   Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback   ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Student Loan Consolidation Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers