Why are the boundary adjustments being done now?
Our newest elementary school, Katherine G. Johnson Elementary, is scheduled to open this fall. That means we need to adjust our elementary school boundaries to populate that school. As our next new elementary school (Elementary #19) isn’t scheduled to open until 2024, we will be adjusting the boundaries for all of our elementary schools across the district, in order to alleviate some of the overcrowding at our larger schools, some of which have over 800 students.

How are Bethel Virtual Academy (BVA) students impacted?
All BVA students will remain in the virtual academy until their families decide to move them back to their home school. At that point they will be impacted by the new boundary adjustments.

When was the last time elementary boundaries were adjusted districtwide?
The last time the elementary boundaries were adjusted at this scale was 2013.

Where can I see the current elementary boundaries?
You can see a map of the current boundaries (adopted in 2013) by clicking here, or by entering your address here.

Will the boundary adjustments result in longer bus routes for students?
Our Transportation Department contributes to the boundary adjustment process. They draft the new map using software that allows them to chart out the number of students in each neighborhood. They also take the length of time students spend on buses into account and have assured us that most routes shouldn’t be longer than they are now.

Why are some schools impacted by the boundary adjustments more than others?
A number of factors went into the reboundary process. Schools nearer to the new school (Katherine G. Johnson Elementary) saw bigger impacts with students leaving to populate that school. Schools towards the center of the district, like Graham, North Star, and Pioneer Valley also saw bigger changes, as did some of our schools with larger populations, like Thompson and Shining Mountain. Other schools are home to standalone programs that bring in students from across the district, which also impacts their student populations.

Is Elk Plain School of Choice impacted by the boundary revisions?
Elk Plain is a School of Choice open to students from across the district and is not impacted by the new boundary revisions.

Is the Dual Language Program at Thompson Elementary impacted by the boundary revisions?
Families in the Dual Language Program at Thomspon are not impacted by the new boundary revisions.

Will these boundary adjustments allow students to get out of portable classrooms?
Depending on the change to the student population, some schools may be able to serve more students in the main building and less in the portables. 

My school already has traffic issues during parent pick up and drop off times. Will this boundary revision fix that or make it worse?
That all depends on how families get their children to school. The district continues to encourage parents to have their students ride the bus, instead of driving them to school. This is the easiest way to help alleviate some of the traffic issues we are seeing around our schools.

What is the process to transfer my student to another school in the district?
Transfer request information can be found at https://www.bethelsd.org/Page/6196.

Will elementary start times change?
Elementary start times change every three years. They last changed in 2019/20, so there are no new changes at his time.

How will the growing population of houses in the Lipoma Community affect our student population in the future?
Lipoma is building rapidly and estimates indicate the new houses will add 400 more kids to our district. While this will increase populations in the short term, our hope is that our 19th elementary school will be built in that community in 2024. The district is working with the developer on plans for that now. Thank you, voters for supporting the 2019 bond that will fund that project.

I am very involved in my school. What is the quickest way to get involved in my new school?
Thank you for your volunteer efforts! We understand bonds are formed over years and schools can really feel like home. The best way to get up to speed at your new school is to contact the office at your new school.