Breaking Boundaries
MPUSD unveils major school boundary shakeup, affecting 11 schools
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
The Monterey Peninsula Unified School District has rolled out a major reconfiguration of school boundaries that could leave hundreds of students attending class closer to home next year.
The MPUSD board recently approved a new boundary plan that would create “learning communities” surrounding Marina, Seaside and Monterey high schools designed for students to attend school close to their neighborhoods.
“We’ve always had students on buses going all over the Peninsula,” says Dan Albert, assistant superintendent for facilities, planning and management. “Seaside students would be on a bus and moving over to Monterey. They would be driving by their neighborhood school to get to another.”
Even though 11 schools will get new boundaries next year, Albert says most students can remain at their current school if they want because the district has capacity to accommodate most intra-district transfers. Albert admits, however, that the boundary change is likely going to confuse parents in the beginning.
Due to declining enrollment and budget savings, MPUSD is also calling for the closure of Marina Del Elementary School. The school has about 220 students, which will likely be moved to Olson and Marina Vista schools. The MPUSD Board Feb. 17 will hold a public hearing on the issue and possibly take action on the school closure.
Visit http://www.mpusd.k12.ca.us/districtsite/home for details on the boundary changes, including maps of the new configuration.
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