BCPS Redistricting

Karen Jackson from Cooperative Strategies, Superintendent Kevin Macina, Assistant Superintendent Jeff Wierzbicki, Elementary Principal Nathan Clophus, Technology Director Russ Gerbers, Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction Scott Joseph, and Communications Director Trisha McCauley. We will also be consulting with other internal staff to help guide the process depending on their expertise.

Cooperative Strategies is a company that specializes in enrollment projections and assisting districts that need to redistrict when expanding. BCPS has worked with them over the years to help with future forecasting regarding building, growth of the district, and community. They are experts in this area that have assisted many districts to help with all the logistics to help create a smooth transition with district expansion.

No. If you currently reside within the Byron Center Public Schools boundary, you will remain within the district. This process will only adjust the K-4 boundary lines within the greater Byron Center Public Schools boundary.

We have a boundary locator that you can use to determine this.

Fall 2024

Yes. Providing boundaries that offer longevity is of the utmost importance. Along with forecasting enrollment from specific housing developments, our partners at Cooperative Strategies are developing enrollment projections which will allow us to view enrollment trends geographically.

Yes. We are looking at the demographics of the entire district; where there are housing developments, apartments, mobile communities, etc.

Yes. Only the K-4 elementary boundaries will be impacted by this process.

That is a possibility, depending on where the boundary lines are drawn.

We are going through all possible scenarios to see what is feasible and what is best for all of our students.

We are going through all possible scenarios to see what is feasible and what is best for all of our students. We may be able to make special accommodations to meet students’ unique needs.

BCPS is looking to create four balanced elementary schools with 400-450 students each.

BCPS is looking to create four balanced elementary schools with three to four sections per grade. Class size will depend on each individual school and grade level needs.

Yes. The curriculum will be the same across all four elementary schools. BCPS is being proactive this year by getting all three elementary schools on the same page, so if a student switches between schools it will be an easier transition.

Yes. The new elementary school will have the same opportunities as Brown Elementary, Countryside Elementary, and Marshall Elementary, including before/after school options.

Yes. The new elementary school will not be getting all new staff. BCPS has asked current staff members if they are interested in transferring to the new building. We are working with current teachers and support staff from the other three elementary schools in order to create BC culture across all schools. If new hires are needed, they will be spread out across the district.

We are looking into if it is possible to have a specific specials (art, music, PE, STEM) teacher at each elementary school or if buildings will share teachers.

Principal Nathan Clophus will lead the charge to create a parent group for the new elementary. Parent groups from Brown, Countryside, and Marshall may be asked to help with the transition to get the group up and running.

Change can be difficult. BCPS will be providing extra resources for students and families who are transferred to the new elementary school. It is important that we create that BC community culture that we all know and love. We will host welcoming events to get students and parents of the new school together. 

Byron Center Public Schools currently partners with the county for crosswalk safety. We are looking at potentially adding in crosswalks, safety signage, and/or more crossing guards to the area surrounding the fourth elementary school. Keep in mind, our intermediate school was located there last school year, which gives us an idea of what traffic flow could look like. We are hoping the congestion gets smaller around the elementary schools as the student count decreases at each building.

We will not know this until we start creating boundary options. Once we begin to narrow our boundary options we will have a better idea of the impact to transportation.