School Boundaries Discussion Continues At Board Meeting - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

Discussion on the proposed boundaries continues tonight at the Bismarck Public School board meeting.

Last week nearly 500 concerned parents and citizens showed up at a public forum to voice their frustrations with the boundaries.

Planner Rob Schwarz who's been working with the school district says he anticipates there WILL be some changes.

Tonight he mentioned some of the top concerns he heard from parents.

"Trying to go to the facility the school that's closest to where they reside, not driving by other facilities to get to another facility, trying to minimize the number of students impacted, is there a way to provide better socioeconomic in some of these areas," Rob Schwarz said.

Parents had a chance to voice their concerns at tonight's meeting.

One parent is concerned her kids might be moved to a school farther away than the one they currently attend.

"Of course I would like to see my whole area kept as Pioneer because that's my neighborhood, but at a very minimum I would like the board to consider keeping a walk able distance around every school, perhaps even using your own criteria you use for bussing, which is anybody over a half a mile is eligible for bussing, how about keeping a half a mile boundary around the school that can stay at that school," Michelle Mielke said.

Another public forum will be held on January 24th at Horizon Middle School.