Last Updated: October 30, 2023
Community Forums
Beginning the week of October 23, community forums will be held at each of the five comprehensive middle schools, where participants will review the demographer findings, discuss the implications, and share thoughts with district leaders. The district is committed to deeply listening to the communities we serve. The schedule for these meetings is as follows:
In-Person Events
- Chinook – Monday, October 23, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
- Tillicum – Tuesday, October 24, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
- Odle – Wednesday, October 25, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
- Highland – Thursday, October 26, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
- Tyee – Monday, October 30, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Online Events
Participants must register in advance for the session they would like to attend. The district can accommodate up to 50 participants in each session and is prepared to host additional sessions based on demand.
- Friday, October 27, 2023 (English), 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
- Wednesday, November 1 (Spanish), 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.
- Wednesday, November 1 (Mandarin), 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.
- Wednesday, November 1 (Korean), 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.
- Thursday, November 2 (English), 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. (Registration is at capacity, please register for the November 3rd)
- Friday, November 3 (English), 7:00 – 8:00 a.m.
These meetings are open to all members of the public and ensure one meeting for the schools in each middle school attendance zone — including the elementary schools and the high school(s) it sends students to. Participants at each forum will have the option to attend smaller sessions for groups that will be impacted such as dual language, advanced learning, etc., or groups that have been historically marginalized or underserved in our education system. Details on these concurrent sessions will be finalized and posted on the Middle School Consolidation Study timeline and shared by each school. Participants will have the opportunity to provide both group and individual feedback on a survey. Language translation and interpretation will be available for families at all engagements.
View the Community Forum Presentations
The presentation below is shared with families who attend any of the Middle School Consolidation Study community engagement opportunities and is for all BSD community members who want to stay engaged with the information. The sessions run from October 23 to November 3, and include a brief overview of the consolidation study process, timeline and next steps. The presentation also reviews data collected from two demographic reports that provide BSD with an enrollment forecast through 2030. BSD community members who were unable to attend the sessions or who would like to review the presentations may also view them here:
Watch the presentation
Community engagement for the Middle School Consolidation Study start October 23. The results of the two demographer reports are now available, and we will be asking our community (students, families, staff, and community members) to review the results with these guiding questions in mind:
- Will continuing to operate five middle schools provide enough students at each school to offer the quality of programming and services our community expects?
- Will continuing to operate five middle schools allow an effective and efficient use of financial resources and facilities?
- What aspects of the middle school experience are important to you?
- If we were to consolidate one middle school, what priorities, ideas and suggestions do you have?
Community members will have the opportunity to provide feedback and ask questions in a survey.
Additional Engagement
In addition to the community forums, and the option for concurrent small group sessions, there will be additional outreach with historically marginalized groups to determine how best to engage with them on this important topic and its potential impact.
Staff at all five comprehensive middle schools will have the opportunity to meet with district leaders prior to the community forums, and students at each middle school will have the opportunity to provide feedback on what they value in their middle school experience.
Looking Ahead
Following this first phase of community engagement, the feedback will be analyzed and synthesized, and a summary of the feedback and considerations from the community forums will be shared. The community feedback will inform the Superintendent and his team in the development of a proposal that will be shared in the second phase of community engagement after winter break.