ROCK SPRINGS – New boundaries for elementary schools in Rock Springs will start next year as the Sweetwater County School District No. 1 Board approved the changes Monday.
With a new elementary school, Stagecoach Elementary, coming on-line next fall, the boundaries needed to be reconfigured. It was explained the new school boundaries are constructed to reduce the transportation times required to get students to and from school, allow for neighborhood schools and embrace the cultural diversity that is Rock Springs heritage.
However, Superintendent Kelly McGovern explained there is another major reason why they made new boundaries.
Several year’s ago, the State of Wyoming set statute that every school needed to meet a 16 students to one teacher ratio. SWCSD No. 1 has had trouble meeting this but on Monday, McGovern said the district had a unique opportunity to move towards this with the new boundaries of the schools.
When deciding on the new boundaries, McGovern said they looked at the current population as well as estimates of what the student numbers will be next year. McGovern also explained they looked at the number of classrooms available at each school.
The Northpark and Overland boundaries remained the same. McGovern explained Westridge changed a little but the district left room because most of the growth happening in Rock Springs in on that side of the city. She said they have allowed room for possible new subdivisions which could be built in the area.
Walnut also seen small changes as did Sage but of course the biggest changes were around the new school Stagecoach. One thing McGovern stressed about the high numbers at Stagecoach is Lincoln will no longer be the overflow school. Stagecoach will now take that roll.
One thing which the district strived to make sure was accomplished during this process was that all stakeholders were very informed and involved with the changes. McGovern said not only did they try to keep the internal stakeholders and employees up to date, but also all the parents and other members of the community. There were two public forums where the community could look at the boundaries while also giving input on what they would like to see.
Board member Neil Kourbelas spoke about this. He said he was at the workshops and the public forums. He said in all his experience he has seldom seen a study done which was so well-founded, thoroughly investigated  and as transparent as these changes were.
McGovern said one thing the public should remember is these maps are on the Sweetwater County School District No. 1 website. You can see them at www.sweetwater1.org
