Elementary School Boundary Adjustments

Elementary level boundary adjustments to balance student enrollment, accounting for new school sizes across our three elementary schools, is the next step in the process as we prepare for the conclusion of our facilities projects in advance of the 2022-23 school year.

At the Board of Education’s Regular Business Meeting on Monday, March 28, the Board voted to approve the recommended Elementary School Boundary adjustment, “Option E.” Approval of this recommendation shifts current students attending Wilson Elementary School and living east of the Milwaukee River to Donges Bay Elementary School (neighborhood groupings 23-26) and students attending Wilson Elementary School and living north of Highland Road to Oriole Lane Elementary School (neighborhood groupings 1-2).

Process Overview

Discussion about the possibility of an elementary school boundary shift has been part of the referendum project since its approval in April 2020. Boundary adjustments will take effect starting in the 2022-23 school year.

Boundary adjustments will:

More evenly distribute elementary student population across the three elementary schools based on new school size,
Create more consistent student experiences in accessing district programming and support services, and
Create more consistent sizes of grade-level cohorts in each building.

During the Regular Business Meeting on Monday, December 20, 2021 the Mequon-Thiensville School District Board of Education approved a resolution to form a task force to carry out the following charge:

The Mequon-Thiensville School District (MTSD) Elementary School Boundary Task Force shall review the current and projected enrollment and the attendance area of each elementary school in the MTSD, using professional enrollment projections and other relevant information, to make an elementary attendance area recommendation to the MTSD administration and the Board of Education, ensuring that all of our elementary schools have the ability to function within their new student capacities for next school year.

View the current MTSD elementary school boundary map here

Work of the Task Force
Option E

Work of the Task Force

After the approval of the charge for the Elementary School Boundary Task Force (ESBTF), work to gain participation on the committee began immediately. The District sent an email offering the opportunity to be considered for membership on the committee available to all Mequon-Thiensville resident parents and guardians of children enrolled in MTSD elementary schools.

A random selection process was then enacted to select representation from each elementary school at each grade level (grades K4-4 in the 2021-22 school year). Additionally, each school PTO President was requested to provide one member of their school’s PTO leadership team to participate on the committee. This resulted in a committee made of 21 parents and guardians (seven from each of the three elementary schools). Following the formation of the Task Force:

The Elementary School Boundary Task Force convened for three evenings in February (Feb. 2, 16, and 23) for 2.5 hours each time to meet the School Board charge, with facilitation provided by independent consultant Dr. Joe Schroeder.
Mr. Mark Roffers of MDRoffers Consulting provided professional enrollment projections and other relevant information to inform task force deliberations.
The task force established five Non-Negotiables to direct their work:
1. Enable Donges Bay and Wilson to function within their capacities as four-section elementary schools, and Oriole Lane to function within its capacity as a three and a half section elementary school, for the next 10 years as projections allow.
2. Minimize additional costs, beyond those necessary to adjust current school attendance areas and progressions.
3. Minimize travel distance and maximize bus route efficiency, including by avoiding an increase in the number of routes and limiting route times to an hour or less.
4. Support logical progression of elementary school students to middle schools without changing middle school attendance areas.
5. Work within established student teacher ratios to maintain the high level of academic success in the district.
Through thoughtful use of these projections and information, the process generated five potential elementary attendance boundary shifts (Options A-E) that reasonably met the School Board charge and non-negotiables/criteria.
After assessing the five options per the criteria, three were identified by a majority of the task force members as warranting potential School Board Recommendation (Options B, C, and E) and, thus, were explored further for inherent strengths and challenges.
Ultimately, the task force selected Option E on Feb. 23 as the recommended elementary boundary option for School Board discussion/approval, with 71% of the task force members identifying it as their preferred option.
After Option E was identified as the consensus choice, 100% of the task force members present at the Feb. 23 Task Force meeting attested to their support of Option E moving forward for School Board discussion/approval.

Option E

View the Option E map here

Under Option E, neighborhoods 23-26 would move from Wilson to Donges Bay, and neighborhoods 1-2 would move from Wilson to Oriole Lane, affecting an estimated 120 students. 78% of elementary students would attend the elementary school closest to their neighborhood (currently 82% today), there would be no change in number of bus routes required, and all routes would remain an hour or less. Per Task Force discussion during the February 23 meeting, the following were identified as the prominent strengths and challenges of Option E:

Prominent Strengths	Prominent Challenges
Least amount of students/neighborhoods affected Opportunity of this option to be converted in the future into Option B or C Meets the minimal target for Wilson student shifts per projections Only one of the remaining options where there is no change or a decrease in bus travel time More closely balanced split of Oriole Lane students to either Middle School Visual appeal / contiguity of boundaries Slightly higher percentage of students attending closest school Has all Wilson students progressing to Steffen MS No change from current MS assignments in this option	Projection of having Wilson over capacity in 2035 and close to capacity in 2030 Under-utilizes Donges Bay capacity the most of the remaining options Enrollment less equal between the two larger schools of Donges Bay and Wilson Most likely option of those remaining to require revisiting boundary review sooner Highest Oriole Lane enrollment in 2030 in comparison to the other options remaining

Prominent Strengths

Prominent Challenges

Least amount of students/neighborhoods affected
Opportunity of this option to be converted in the future into Option B or C
Meets the minimal target for Wilson student shifts per projections
Only one of the remaining options where there is no change or a decrease in bus travel time
More closely balanced split of Oriole Lane students to either Middle School
Visual appeal / contiguity of boundaries
Slightly higher percentage of students attending closest school
Has all Wilson students progressing to Steffen MS
No change from current MS assignments in this option

Projection of having Wilson over capacity in 2035 and close to capacity in 2030
Under-utilizes Donges Bay capacity the most of the remaining options
Enrollment less equal between the two larger schools of Donges Bay and Wilson
Most likely option of those remaining to require revisiting boundary review sooner
Highest Oriole Lane enrollment in 2030 in comparison to the other options remaining

Next Steps

In the coming weeks, families affected by the boundary change should expect welcome messages from their new principal, as well as information on next steps in the transition process, including online registration for next school year. We also encourage you to continue to reach out with any questions or concerns that may arise.

Question or comment about the adjustment? Submit your feedback here.

Background Information

Role of Boundary Adjustments in the Referendum Project

One of the District’s most significant facilities needs, as identified in our long-range master planning process, relates to our current capacity challenges, and the growth expected at our District’s elementary schools.

The solution determined and recommended by the MTSD Community Task Force Report and approved by our community via the 2020 Referendum, was to create school additions to relieve the building capacity challenges experienced at the elementary level.

As we prepare to enter the final phase of the construction projects, it's time to look ahead at the next step in ensuring that all of our elementary schools have the ability to function within their new student capacities for next school year. Beginning in February, a task force made up of 21 MTSD elementary school parents will be engaging in work regarding a forthcoming adjustment to district elementary school boundaries.

Resolution to Adjust MTSD Elementary School Boundaries

During the Regular Business Meeting on Monday, December 20, 2021 the Mequon-Thiensville School District Board of Education approved the following resolution:

The Mequon-Thiensville Board of Education hereby authorizes Superintendent Matthew Joynt to form a task force with the following charge: The Mequon-Thiensville School District (MTSD) Elementary School Boundary Task Force shall review the current and projected enrollment and the attendance area of each elementary school in the MTSD, using professional enrollment projections and other relevant information, to make an elementary attendance area recommendation to the MTSD administration and the Board of Education that will:

Enable Donges Bay and Wilson to function within their capacities as four-section elementary schools, and Oriole Lane to function within its capacity as a three-and-a-half section elementary school, for the next 10 years as projections allow.
Minimize additional costs, beyond those necessary to adjust current school attendance areas and progressions.
Minimize travel distance and maximize bus route efficiency, including by avoiding an increase in the number of routes and limiting route times to an hour or less.
Support logical progression of elementary school students to middle schools without changing middle school attendance areas.

The Elementary School Boundary Task Force (ESBTF) will ultimately provide a recommendation to the MTSD administration and Board of Education regarding elementary school boundaries for the 2022-23 school year and beyond.

Role & Structure of the Elementary School Boundary Task Force

The elementary school boundary task force was represented by a total of 21 parents and/or guardians and PTO leadership from each elementary school.

Elementary school principals, transportation representatives, and district administration were also present to support the process and provide clarification to any questions that arose.

The task force met at the Range Line Community Center on the following dates:

Wednesday, February 2, 2022, 6-8:30 p.m.
Wednesday, February 16, 2022, 6-8:30 p.m.
Wednesday, February 23, 2022, 6-8:30 p.m.

The task force will make a recommendation to the administration which will be discussed at the MTSD BOE’s March 7, 2022 Working Meeting. A recommendation for approval made by the administration will then be brought forward at the MTSD BOE’s March 28, 2022 Business Meeting.

Find out more about task force members and the work they conducted.

Elementary School Boundary Adjustment Timeline

Date	Action Item
Week of December 20, 2021	Task Force interest survey is sent to elementary school parents
Wed. Feb. 2, 2022 6:00-8:30 p.m.	Task Force Meeting 1 View Meeting Minutes and Slide Deck
Wed. Feb. 16, 2022 6:00-8:30 p.m.	Task Force Meeting 2 View Meeting Minutes and Slide Deck MDRoffers Enrollment Projections Video Presentation & Slides
Wed. Feb. 23, 2022 6:00-8:30 p.m.	Task Force Meeting 3 View Meeting Minutes and Slide Deck MDRoffers Boundary Options Review Video Presentation & Slides
Mon. Mar. 7, 2022 6:30 p.m.	The task force made a recommendation to MTSD administration at the Board of Education's March Working Meeting
Mon. Mar. 28, 2022 7:00 p.m.	At the Board of Education's March Regular Business meeting, the Board approved the recommended boundary adjustment, as presented.
2022-2023 School Year	New boundary adjustment takes effect.

Access Frequently Asked Questions about the Elementary School Boundary Adjustment