Cedar Mill Elementary School Boundary

To the Members of the Beaverton School Board,

We are opposed to the current proposed boundary solution for Cedar Mill Elementary and are asking for a more reasonable, equitable solution. The current proposal calls for Cedar Mill to lose nearly half of our students to Bonny Slope in the fall of 2008. This student loss is expected to be replaced with students coming from new construction over the next five years. In addition to the obvious devastation to our school community, the major problems with this solution are the near term ramifications. If the boundary adjustments are made as the district has currently proposed, Cedar Mill will drop to between 55\% and 65\% enrollment for the 2008-2009 school year. This means that in addition to losing half of our student community, we will probably lose one third of our staff. This is not reasonable.

Cedar Mill will be challenged by the increase in mobility rate associated with the new boundary. The current boundary proposal transfers a large portion of single-family homes and nearly half of our volunteer base. In the proposal, many of our new students will come from communities that typically generate high mobility. The changes will increase our already high mobility rate (currently 30-40\%) to an even higher rate likely exceeding 50\%. Given the small size of our school we are inherently less able than a larger school like Bonny Slope to accommodate the variables of a highly mobile community (highly fluctuating enrollment numbers, and volunteer base). We are asking for a more equitable solution which maintains more of our current student body and staff, routing more new construction to Bonny Slope and better balances the large number of apartments and townhomes in our and Bonny Slopes neighborhoods.

Proposed Solution
We suggest the board accepts the newly revised proposed adjustments and in addition, considers having the Timberland townhome development on the Teufel property be included in the Bonny Slope boundary line and for Cedar Mill Elementary to retain:
1. All homes off of 113th, South of Rainmont (Current revised proposal plus Melody, Damascus, and Jericho)
2. McDaniel Woods and surrounding areas: All homes South of McDaniel, East of 111th, and South of Dumar (Harding, Robina, Barrett, Cannon, Annette, Tudor, La Cassel Crest, 107th Pl.)

While McDaniel Woods is closer to Bonny Slope, given the proximity of Cedar Mill to Bonny Slope (1.8 miles), in the absence of safe walking routes to either school proximity should not be a deciding factor. Our proposal also affects 50 fewer current students.

With this proposed solution, we would be looking at a projected enrollment in 2008 of 77\% (not including grandfathering), and a mobility percentage which will stay even as opposed to going even higher with the proposed 1/3 of our students coming from the Timberland townhomes. This is a much more reasonable hit to our community given our situation. We ask that you consider this proposal and include its implementation in your final decision.

Thank you.

Signed,
Families of Cedar Mill Elementary