Now that the boundary committee has been formed and started meeting, the JagWire staff would like them to keep a few things in mind:

First and foremost, students who are currently in high school should not be required to change schools. These students have already adjusted to life at their respective high schools, and it would not be logical for students to have to repeat this process. It would be better to make any new boundaries a requirement for future high school students that have not been exposed to a specific school and allow current high school students to finish out their high school career where they are now.

The committee also needs to consider the proximity of students to the high schools they attend or will  attend. An MVNews poll revealed that 58 percent of Mill Valley students believe this is the most important issue for committee members to keep in mind. Students who live near Mill Valley should not be sent to De Soto. Along with this, the committee should think about the fact that some families moved to the Mill Valley area several years ago with the intent that their children would attend Mill Valley.

Sports and other extracurricular activities could be negatively affected by a boundary change that makes a large school too small. If Mill Valley were to experience a significant population decrease, its extracurricular programs would become less competitive among 5A schools. Mill Valley has experienced considerable extracurricular success in part because of its population, and we would prefer for this to continue.

Finally, the committee should consider the effects that changes could have on the sense of community developed within and around high schools. Students in the Mill Valley and De Soto boundaries would essentially be fish-out-of-water in each other’s areas; they have already grown and developed socially in their own communities. Removing students from where they feel like they belong would be detrimental to both the schools and their students.

Above all, committee members and the Board need to make sure they do what is best for the district rather than what fulfills personal desires. It’s important to remember that the goal of this district is to provide the best possible school experience. If this idea guides the committee, then it will allow them to make the best decision.