Your kids could soon be going to different schools in Bellingham. This is why
The Bellingham School District is changing boundaries for its elementary and middle schools to alleviate crowding in some of its schools in north Bellingham, which is growing.
The attendance boundary shift also is being proposed because Alderwood, Parkview and Sunnyland elementary schools are being rebuilt in the coming years — made possible by a $155 million bond passage in 2018 — and that means they’ll have more room for more students, the Bellingham School District announced Tuesday, Oct. 29.
District officials also want to “bring more balance and diversity to our middle schools, especially as it relates to the socio-economic background of our families,” the district said.
It would reduce the number of students who receive free and reduced lunches, an indicator of family wealth, at some schools and increase it at others.
Enrollment would stay roughly the same for some schools, and elsewhere drop or increase — sometimes dramatically as it would for Sunnyland Elementary, which would increase by 86 students to 377.
The proposal was sent to Superintendent Greg Baker for his consideration this month. If approved, the changes would go into effect in fall 2021 and fall 2022.
Before plans are finalized, Baker said he wants to give the community an additional opportunity to offer further feedback. Community members can call 360-676-6512 to offer feedback or ask questions.
Here are the details of the current school boundaries proposal, as laid out by the school district.
Middle schools
The proposed change would especially help Shuksan Middle School, which is crowded, according to the school district.
It would cut enrollment at Shuksan by 72 students to 636.
The number of students at Whatcom Middle School also would be reduced by 41 to 650 students.
Enrollment would then increase at Fairhaven and Kulshan middle schools.
Current boundary proposals are:
▪ Columbia Elementary students would go to Shuksan Middle School.
▪ Students living in the revised Parkview and Sunnyland Elementary boundaries, along with the eastern half of Cordata Elementary, would go to Whatcom Middle School.
▪ All of Roosevelt Elementary, along with a larger portion of Silver Beach, the area around the school, would attend Kulshan Middle School.
▪ The Yew Street area north of Wade King Elementary also would attend Kulshan Middle School.
▪ The downtown west of State Street along with the western part of Carl Cozier, the Fraser Street/Civic Field corridor, would go to Fairhaven Middle School.
Elementary schools
The current proposal also seeks to alleviate crowding at Silver Beach Elementary School by adjusting the northern boundary, according to the school district.
Recommendations include:
▪ Have the Sunset Pond area, as well as the eastern corner of the Columbia neighborhood, attend Parkview Elementary.
▪ Have the Barkley area west of Woburn, the Northern Heights area, along with the southwest corner of the Roosevelt boundary, attend Sunnyland Elementary.
▪ The Tweed Twenty neighborhood would go to Northern Heights Elementary.
▪ Downtown west of State Street would attend Lowell Elementary.
Additional details about the elementary and middle school boundaries proposal is at bellinghamschools.org.
