Before I tell you about a couple new ideas that have been discussed in the most recent meeting, something important: The public forums have been pushed back at the committee’s request. They are now on Jan. 22, 6-8 p.m. at Monticello Trails and January 23, 6-8 pm at DHS. These meetings will be interesting to see, and if you want to have a say in the boundary issue but you aren’t on the committee, this is where you can say something. I think everyone should go.
These most recent committee meetings have been pretty boring, which is why there hasn’t been an update recently. There have been several developments as far as rule changes, but so far no definite solutions are on the table, and it looks like there won’t be any until our next meeting on Jan. 22.

Some important changes have been made as to how we form a decision, however. The Board of Education has thrown out the rulebook, which means that the committee isn’t limited to just restructuring the boundaries. We now have the power to suggest change anything within the district. The issue was not going to be solved with a simple boundary change: USD 232’s population is so lopsided that anything less than considering a complete overhaul would be a waste of time.
While these last meetings have been uneventful, we are definitely coming to a decision, slowly but surely. This most recent meeting, the committee had time to work. Previously, it was just RSP and Associates just doing their thing and giving us a little information with a bunch of fluff words, and almost no work time. However, we were able to talk to everyone about decisions and options we could consider.

Committee member Tracie Cumbie, who was in my table group, surveyed the room to see which of the options that we were considering were the most popular among committee members. The results weren’t that surprising, and the most popular ideas are:

1. Create a sixth-grade center at Mill Creek, and all students who previously attended Mill Creek and were on track to go to DHS will be moved to LTMS. Monticello will get the rest of Mill Creek’s seventh and eighth graders, and while they are overcapacity right now, getting rid of the sixth graders will free up room. Monticello will feed into MVHS and LTMS will feed into DHS. This effectively solves all problems in the district, but you would have to transport everyone in the district into one place, which may have some problems with gas and parent acceptance.
2. Move all students who will attend DHS from Mill Creek and into LTMS, and send the overflow from Monticello into Mill creek. This way the district will have a true feeder system. However, this doesn’t change Mill Valley’s over population issue.
3. All students going to DHS will be moved to LTMS, and the overflow from Monticello will go into Mill Creek. This is basically the same idea as #2, but for one major change. Create advanced, cool new incentive programs at DHS that encourage Mill Valley transfers. Also, make the transfer system more open and provide transportation service across the district to go to DHS. This option solves all problems, but it would cost the district some money.

All of these are great ideas, but all of them have some major problems. Personally, I think #3 is the best option and I hope that the BOE will go for it, because it would bring more people and more class opportunities to DHS students as well as solve many problems in the district.

But as of now, these are ideas. The public’s support is extremely important in this issue- if no one likes any idea, then the Board will take it into their own hands and no one will have any say in the changes that affect everyone. That is why there are two public forums on Jan. 22 at Monticello Middle School, and another on Jan. 23 at DHS. I think that everyone should come, because this really is important to you, and maybe even your own children if you plan to stay within the district.