Redmond schools making big changes to cut K-5 class sizes

(Update: Adding link to map)

As district returns to K-5 schools, Early Learning Center to become Hugh Hartman Elementary

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Redmond School District has announced major school and boundary changes to take effect in the 2020-2021 school year, in preparation for class size reductions with the added state funding from the new Student Success Act.

Last fall, the district launched a comprehensive community engagement process to listen to students, parents, community members and local community leaders on what is working well and what needs improvement in Redmond schools. About 20 listening sessions were hosted and more than 700 survey respondents offered insight and feedback.

"One of the strong themes that emerged from this process is that the Redmond community greatly values smaller class size, a key priority of the Student Success Act," the school district said in Friday's announcement.

After listening to the community’s feedback, the district said its plan is to prioritize investment of some of the Student Success Act funds toward class size reduction in primary grades. 

In order to lower class sizes in primary grades and accommodate the needs of a rapidly growing population, the district said it will have to make adjustments in elementary schools.

"The district is excited for the additional funding that will come as a result of the Student Success Act, but faces a challenge in that a few schools are at maximum capacity, while others are not," the announcement said. "With this in mind, changes must be made to balance the population in school facilities to adequately make the best use of schools.

"The district understands that change of any kind can be a challenge and has worked to arrive at a solution that results in the least amount of impact on our students and families," the announcement continued, laying out the specifics in this fashion:

• Return to K-5 Model for All Redmond Elementary Schools and Creation of New Elementary School
  • Kindergarten currently housed at the Redmond Early Learning Center will be transitioned back to the district’s five in-town elementary schools.
  • The Redmond Early Learning Center will become Hugh Hartman Elementary, a new elementary school.
• New John Tuck Elementary School Boundary
  • The John Tuck Elementary School boundary will be adjusted to transition households in the southern portion of the boundary to the new Hugh Hartman Elementary. This boundary shift will affect students and will allow them to attend an elementary school within walking distance of their home.
• Transition of Students Within M.A. Lynch Elementary Boundary to Tom McCall Elementary Boundary
  • There is a neighborhood east of Highway 97 in Redmond in which approximately 55 students currently attend M.A. Lynch Elementary. The Tom McCall Elementary boundary will be modified to include these students, allowing students to attend a school closer to their home.
• Unification of Dual Language Programs at Sage Elementary and Redmond Early Learning Center
  • The district currently operates dual language programs at both Sage Elementary School and the Redmond Early Learning Center. These programs will be unified at the Hugh Hartman Elementary campus beginning in the fall of 2020.
• Transition of Middle School from Tumalo Community School to Obsidian Middle School
  • In the fall of 2020, middle school students attending Tumalo Community School will be transitioned to Obsidian Middle School. Tumalo Community School is also experiencing space and capacity challenges. This transition will allow for class size reduction at Tumalo Community School with the additional classroom space. 

After listening to the community’s feedback and exploring plans to prioritize investment of some of the Student Success Act funds toward class size reduction, these changes emerged as the most effective way to address the community’s concerns with the least amount of impact to students and families, the district said.

“The Student Success Act provides a unique opportunity for us to prepare our schools to fully experience the benefits of reduced classroom size,” shared Mike McIntosh, Redmond School District superintendent. “The district believes in the value of smaller class size. These changes will allow for a richer educational experience for our younger students and enable us to create a more equitable distribution of our student population.” 

The Redmond School District said it is committed to supporting the students, families and staff members affected by this change. The district invites families affected by the change to a parent information drop-in session on Tuesday, Feb. 4 at the Redmond Early Learning Center from 6-8 p.m. Families will have the opportunity to meet with district leaders and school principals. A map detailing the changes to elementary school boundaries can be found on the district website.

For questions or more information about Redmond School District’s school and boundary shift, contact Kelly Jenkins, the district's communications coordinator, at 541-923-8233.