Closing Fox Ridge among proposed District 303 boundary changes

Closing and repurposing Fox Ridge Elementary School is included in a St. Charles Unit District 303 plan to change attendance boundaries next academic year.

About 700 elementary students districtwide would be assigned to new schools if the school board approves the proposed boundary changes next month, officials said. The roughly 300 students from Fox Ridge at 1905 E. Tyler Road would be relocated to different schools - Norton Creek, Munhall, Anderson and Lincoln - depending on their neighborhoods.

Declining enrollment numbers have caused the district to reevaluate its outdated elementary school boundaries, which were last addressed more than a decade ago, Superintendent Jason Pearson said. He also pointed to disparities in the use of school facilities, many of which are significantly below or above ideal capacity.

Closing an elementary school and realigning boundaries would save money, balance student distribution and reduce class sizes, according to the district's plan. But several Fox Ridge parents, especially those who live nearby, said this week they felt blindsided by the district's proposal and wanted more opportunities to voice their opposition.

"It was such a shock to the community Fox Ridge was even (among) the sites to do anything to," said Danielle Penman, who has a second-grader at the school. "When you're making such an impactful decision, there should be more time for the community to talk and voice their concerns."

District spokeswoman Carol Smith said administrators looked at "many options" before recommending to close Fox Ridge - a proposal they hope will disrupt as few students as possible.

Student residency and the ratio of walkers to bus riders were among the criteria considered, as was the site's potential marketability and future use. If the plan is approved, the school would likely be converted into an early childhood center.

"This has been a thoughtful process. It has been a very deliberate process. We have to look at what's best for the district, but we also understand change is difficult," Smith said. "We want to make sure we are working to make the transition as easy as possible for our families."

Emily Ide, the mother of a 2-year-old, said she worries how the school's closure could affect property values and desirability of her adjacent neighborhood. Her house's proximity to Fox Ridge was one of her top reasons for moving there in October 2016, she said.

"Once you take that out of our neighborhood, it changes the entire dynamic," Ide said. "We have this vision, and we want to maintain that, but when push comes to shove, we don't want to lose equity in our homes."

The proposal was introduced last week at a learning and teaching committee and presented again during a community forum this week. Another informational meeting is at 6:30 p.m. Monday at Thompson Middle School.

The school board is expected to discuss the proposal during a special meeting Tuesday before voting Feb. 12.