001Evening. It is 6:03. I am calling to order the Alpine School District Board of Education meeting that's occurring on February 24th, 2026 at our district office. Um the meeting is officially called to order. Um I want to excuse board member Clement who will not be here this evening and then board member Wilson. be participating online. First up on our agenda, we have the pledge of allegiance to be uh led by Craig Brink Craig Brinkerhoff. And then our inspirational thought or reflection will be by Derek Farns. Please say the Pledge of Allegiance with me. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. It has been said that quotes help us understand, inspire, motivate,
002clarify, and show our approach to things around. If you'll indulge me, I'd like to share a small selection of quotes I have found posted in the district office here. Some more inspirational, some with a humorous approach to things around, and some with a little bit of both. There is always always something to be be thankful for. Never let the things you want make you forget the things you have. Stressed spelled backwards is desserts. Coincidence? I think not. Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out. Relax. We're all crazy. It's not a competition. and one of my favorites to do carefully and constantly and kindly many little things is not a little thing. Thank you to board members, parents both in the audience and throughout the district,
003students in the audience and throughout the district. And to the many, many district employees who each day in and day out do carefully and constantly and kindly many little things. >> Thank you, Derek. Appreciate that. >> [applause] >> Um, next up we have board recognitions. I'm going to turn the time over to board member Bon. >> We just want to give a congratulations to Lone Peak High, the 6A boys state swim champions. Uh, just letting you know that award certificates have been sent to the school to be given to the student athletes during that recognition ceremony. Thank you and congratulations, Lone Peak Swim Team. Okay. So, we do not have any community comments this evening. Nobody panic. The public hearing is separate. Okay. I didn't need everybody to riot right away. Okay. So, next up,
004we are going to move into our public hearing. It is 6:06. Um, I now declare the public hearing. Wait a second. Do I need to call Do I call for a vote for this one yet? No, I can just move into it, right? Okay. I now declare the public hearing open for the potential boundary adjustments between Dry Creek Elementary, Harbor Point Elementary, Sage Hills Elementary, Saratoga Shores Elementary, and Springside Elementary. A signup sheet was available prior to this meeting to allow patrons the opportunity to speak. Those living outside of ASD, and those who were unable to sign up before the meeting can submit written comments at alpineschools.org/schoolboard. As you are called up, please introduce yourself by stating your name and what city you live in. You'll be given up to three minutes to speak. While
005the board does not engage in a discussion during the public comment period, they may arrange for staff members to communicate with you later. Um, so first up, I'm going to call you up in like sets of three. So, if you kind of be like coming up to the front and maybe just being on deck and ready to go, that'd be super helpful. We would ask that you respect the three minute time period so that everyone has an appropriate time to speak. First up, we have Natalie Griffith. Next up after that is Dave Peterson. And third on the list will be Tara Crouch. So Natalie and then Dave and Tara members of the board. >> Hello. [clears throat] >> Can you hear me? >> Okay. Can you hear me? >> Okay. Okay. All right. Members of
006the board, good evening. I'm Natalie Griffith, a Springside mom bomb from Saratoga. I'm back again. I brought a few more friends this time. I would like any others from Springside here to stand up. Now, I am not using this as an intimidation tactic. I want you to know that we are all here because we understand how important and serious this topic is to our children. Thank you for taking the time to listen and consider our concerns. I take my children to a pediatrician who I consider an expert in children's [clears throat] health. My favorite thing to ask him when concerns arise with my children is, "If this was your child, what would you do?" You are experts in your field, public education. Think for just a second about your own children. Now, my question to
007you is, if your child was attending Springside, what would you do? You know that the two proposed options put Springside at over a,000 or almost 1,200 with those numbers increasing by two to 300 in the next four years. This puts us at the second highest or highest level of enrollment in fall of 2026 of all 15 schools that were involved in boundary studies in our area in the last six months, second only to a school whose numbers are supposed to be dropping in the next four years. The ramifications of this are greater than I can comprehend as a parent. While we have been told that class sizes will not change, the actual square footage of our school building will not change either. Effects on more than just reading and math scores will occur. Minimalized or
008cut specialties, safety issues, traffic overloading, lack of sufficient aid help, increased financial burden through added buses and portables, and lunchtime so early that they could be considered the breakfast menu at McDonald's are just a few. Funneling all the current growth in the area, not just the future growth, into one school isn't equitable. Equity is not equality. I realize it may be too much to ask for our school to have equal enrollment numbers as the schools surrounding us. But equity is defined as giving everyone what they need to succeed. Will our children be given what they need to succeed with 12 to 1500 kids in their school and receive the same outcome? Will they have a comparable quality education to the students at schools around us with significantly lower enrollment numbers? Equity is more important than
009optics or something that looks good on a paper map. I'm asking you as we begin this new district to please set us up for success by allowing us to work with the resources we already have, the schools already built, the boundaries already placed, rather than waiting for new schools to be built, adding financial burden, overcrowding to the point of bursting, shifting multiple school boundaries, and an education which quality is decimated by putting such a strain on Springside. Please fight for us and for our children so that all children on the west side can thrive at school, not just survive. Again, think of your kids. What would you do? Would you want to enroll them at Springside under these current options? When it comes to doing what's right for our children, it may not be what
010looks best on paper. There are better options available. Please take the time necessary to consider other possibilities. [music] Thank you for your time. [applause] Okay, so we have Dave and then Tara and then Sarah Collins after Tara. >> Good evening. My name is Dave Peterson. I'm am the president of Legacy Farms Homeowners Association, Saratoga Springs. Thank you for the opportunity to speak. I'm here to raise serious concerns regarding the current boundary study proposal affecting Springside Elementary. Springside currently serves more than 850 students and projected to absorb an additional students from Northshore and Llemon. This would increase enrollment to well over 1100 students on the first day of the next school year. That level of growth in such a short time frame will have real real and immediate consequences for students and families. At that size,
011Springside would face daily operational challenges, arrival and dismissal congestion, limited restroom access, extended lunch schedules, larger class sizes, reduced instructional flexibility, constrained recess time, and limited outdoor play space. These are not minor inconveniences. They directly affect student safety, learning quality, and overall well-being. The growth would also place significant burden on transportation and surrounding neighborhoods. Increased bus traffic and carpool congestion raise legitimate safety concern for families who live in and around Springside area. What is particularly concerning is the imbalance. Other elementary schools, including in this boundary study, such as Harbor Point, Sage Hill, and Saratoga Shores are not projected to experience the same level enrollment next in the next year. Concentrating on this much growth at Springside does not appear equitable or sustainable. We understand and respect your challenges and the district that the district faces
012with continued growth and we want to be part of that uh constructive solution. Our request is simple. Pursue a boundary plan that more equally distributes enrollment, protects educational quality, and prioritizes student safety across all affected schools. Our call to action is this. We respectfully ask Alpine School District to reconsider the proposal that places disappropriate enrollment growth on Springside and to work collaboratively with the families and communities to develop more balanced and thoughtful solutions. Thank you for your time and considering the concerns of legacy for families. [applause] Okay, so we have Tara, Sarah Collins, and then Cynthia Burgger. You have heard and will hear several messages from members of our community who truly want what is best for all of the students involved in this decision. I would like to add my voice to theirs. None
013of the options currently presented are equitable for the students involved. I understand that being equitable does not mean being equal. I understand that it means meeting the individual needs of those involved. Neither option truly meets the needs of the communities. I live in Wander North. I have two students who currently attend Springside and two that will be incoming. As much as I want to stay at Springside, I cannot in good conscience be happy about an option that pushes the limits of reasonability and hurts all students involved. However, splitting our neighborhood and separating my children from their friends in their community does not make sense either. Neither does busing a few communities temporarily for a few years and then rearranging all over again. I would like to propose a third option that prioritizes student stability and
014school balance. This third option would allow all students involved to stay at their current school except for Northshore. Sage Hills is asking for students so that they can keep their teachers. Northshore has to be bus for a little bit anyways. Why are we not busing Northshore to Sage Hills? Why are we rearranging everyone else and not just one neighborhood that will change soon? We have never lived close enough to walk or bike to school until now. And that community feeling of that silly little ritual cannot be overstated. My children look forward to riding our bikes to school in the warmer months and in the cold months because they ask for it even when it's freezing cold outside. This is my boys and I much prefer biking across Pony where there is currently a crossing guard
015[clears throat] rather than being busted to a farther away school across Redwood. I know that there's land and wanderers zoned and purchased for a school. Currently, there's no guarantee that it will be a public school or a charter school or that it's going to happen anytime soon. This third proposed option would keep my children and all the children in Wander North in a more stable and consistent environment for a few more years without overcrowding. In additions to my concerns as a mother, I am also a teacher. I have been in classrooms where specialties have to be brought in like yoga as PE in the classroom or a rolling art cart. I have seen how that hinders the students because the class size is so large that they struggle to get the one-on-one interventions that they
016need and the teachers are run ragged because classroom management changes drastically even from 25 to 27 students. I also fear for the divide in my community and in my children's lives if they are separated from their close friends to be bust to a farther away school just to be shifted again in a few years. Not having a stable environment in this crucial time of development is harmful, not helpful. School should be a safe place. Please consider this third option for the health and safety of all of our children. Thank you for your time. [applause] Okay, so we have Sarah and then Cynthia and then Shaylin. Okay, let's see. Hello. It's great to put your faces to your names. Um, my name is Sarah Collins and I live in the Legacy Farms community in Saratoga Springs.
017First, thank you for the time and effort you put into decisions that affect so many families in our district. We know these choices aren't simple and we appreciate the responsibility that you all carry. Here tonight are the parents of approximately 95 plus children currently attending Springside. And we have come to represent the hundreds of additional families in our neighborhoods who will be affected by this decision. We're here because we care deeply about the quality of our education and our children that our children receive and about the future of our school. We understand the boundary decisions involve many competing priorities, but from the perspective of the families most directly affected, one thing is clear. Springside Elementary should not be placed in a position where it becomes overcrowded. When a school exceeds its capacity, the impact shows
018quickly. Class sizes will grow beyond a reasonable size. Shared spaces and specialty classes will become limited. Teachers will be stretched thin and students will receive less of the attention and support that helps them succeed. Have you as board considered these negative consequences? Capacity planning isn't just about where students fit on a map. It's about the learning environment we are creating for them each day. I would like to propose that more children be redirected to schools with lower enrollment and empty classrooms. Just because Springside can fit more portables. Trust me, my neighbors and I did measure the blacktop of every single school in this boundary. Does not mean that overcrowding springside is a feasible option. Our Springside community isn't asking for special treatment. We're asking for thoughtful planning and a boundary decision that keeps Springside in
019a manageable enrollment and uh equitable opportunities for all schools included in this study. The decision you make will shape the daily experiences of hundreds of children and their families. So tonight, we simply ask you to create and choose an option that protects Springside from overcrowding and supports the students who walk through its doors every single day. Thank you for your time. [applause] Uh, hi, my name is Cynthia Burer. I am on the SCC at Springside as well as the president-elect in PTA. Springside parents are not passionate because we are emotional or reactive. We are passionate because we are watching our school become increasingly overcrowded while surrounding schools remain comfortable, stable, and largely unchanged. We see schools around us that are content to keep things exactly as they are simply because the impact of these boundary
020decisions don't affect don't affect them. And that creates a quiet but very real dynamic of not my problem. But this is a shared problem because equity and education cannot exist when one community is asked to absorb disproportionate growth so others can remain largely unaffected. Overcrowding is not just a numbers issue. It affects safety, learning, student well-being, teacher capacity, school culture and daily quality of life for children. When one school carries the burden so others can stay comfortable, that is not balance. It is displacement of responsibility. Springside families are asking for fairness, not favoritism. We are asking for shared responsibility, not special treatment. Growth should be distributed, not concentrated. Solutions should be regional, not isolated. And no single school should be asked to sacrifice its stability so others can preserve theirs. We are one district, one
021community, one system. And the health of that system depends on collective responsibility, not silent acceptance of imbalance because it doesn't affect everyone equally. We respectfully ask you to create a boundary solution that reflects shared accountability, balanced enrollment, and fairness across all schools so no single community is left carrying a burden that belongs to all of us. Thank you for your time and for listening to the families who are living this reality every day. >> [applause] >> So, we have on deck Nikki Mitchell, Jen Anderson, and Cammy Daniels. I'm Shayen Miles and I live in Legacy Farms. I'm a member of Springside School Community Council and I have two children currently at Springside and one more starting next year and my youngest again in a few years. I feel very strongly that we need to work
022together to create boundary options that better utilize existing resources. It seems many presented option options thus far have stacked Springside's enrollment in the hopes that we have a new school build soon to relieve it, putting Springside in a position to take one for the team and hang in there temporarily. And I am all for team efforts truly. But everyone has a different version of what temporary means. For me and many others, three to four years is not temporary. Three to four years is half of my child's elementary experience in education. There are so many things that need to happen before new elementary school builds can happen. You guys know that better than anyone. And none of these things can be guaranteed. A high enrollment at Springside cannot be guaranteed to be temporary. Growth is everywhere.
023There are major needs everywhere throughout our area. And I'm not selfish enough to think that we should get the first build over other areas that are in similar situations. My hope is that the board can create boundary options that utilize the only guaranteed resources, our current and existing resources, the schools that we already have, the buses we already have. I do understand this route may be more complicated for those involved in the actuality of all the details. I do understand that it means re-evaluation of boundaries again after a few years. But just because an option is simpler to roll simpler to roll out doesn't mean it's the best option for maintaining quality of education for our students and that should be the top priority. I hope option options that may be more complicated but perhaps
024the best for the students involved aren't dismissed because they'd be more grunt work to implement. Please prioritize an equitable use of existing resources rather than gambling on hopeful future resources that are not guaranteed. An equitable use of existing resources will maintain quality of education for all the children throughout this area. Thank you. [applause] >> Hi, my name is Nikki Mitchell. I am a parent from Springside and I currently serve on the PTA board there. Um, as our community continues to grow, it is essential that we prioritize stability for the students who are already established at Springside. The families in Wander community have built relationships, routines, and a strong sense of belonging at the school. Preserving that continuity should be a top priority. Boundary adjustment should focus on accommodating growth, not displacing established students. The Northshore
025development represents new growth and growth should be distributed in a way that keeps enrollment balanced across schools without uprooting current students who have already invested in their school community. Springside should not ab absorb additional strain at the expense of students who are already thriving there. A thoughtful boundary plan would maintain the Wander community at Springside and place Northshore students where there is availability, ensuring balanced numbers districtwide wide while protecting the school culture and stability. Our goal should be fairness, balance, and long-term stability, not shifting the burden onto one established community. Thank you. [applause] My name is Jen Anderson and I have three kids at Springside. I am involved with the PTA on their board for multiple years. Um, 25 years ago as a college student, I volunteered weekly at Snow Springs Elementary in Deerfield Elementary.
026I did this simply because I love working with students. Later, my career in public accounting took me into many schools across Alpine School District, where I came to value its culture, its community, and its learning environments. Those experiences are why I chose to move back here to raise my family. Five years ago, we had that opportunity to come back, and I became part of the Springside community. I live directly across the street from the school and we care deeply about its culture and its sense of belonging. I'm concerned about the traffic and the congestion that increased enrollment will bring, but I'm even more concerned about the impact that disproportionate enrollment will have on the students at Springside and the quality of their daily school experience. My youngest child is in kindergarten and I am asking
027for a balanced enrollment across all schools in this boundary study. I want my daughter to learn in a calm, stable environment, not in a school that is overwhelmed by adding 500 to 600 more students, almost double what normal elementary school should be. I want her to experience specialty the same way that her siblings did with safety, with stability, and with connection that comes from smaller school sizes. Growth is inevitable, but it should be shared fairly. When schools have empty classrooms and lower enrollment, it's both reasonable and responsible to use that capacity instead of overloading one school. Um, option two currently projects at roughly 1500 students. To my knowledge, Alpine School District has never operated an elementary school at this size before. This isn't innovation. This is an experiment, and our children should not be the
028ones asked to bear the consequences of that. Sorry, I have spent a lot of time looking over these boundary options over the last two weeks. Please do not make my daughter one of these test cases. Please utilize a solution that can keep the Springside community below, 1100 to,200 for the foreseeable future. [applause] Hi, my name is Cammy Daniels. I live in Springside and ha I live in Legacy Farms and have three children currently attending Springside. We moved into Legacy Farms right as our oldest entered kindergarten. Springside has been a second home to us for six years. It is more than just a school. It is a community. The front desk lady is my neighbor. The lunchroom lady is also our pool neighbor and multiple teachers live within walking distance of the school. Wander has become
029part of that community. it doesn't make sense to move them from us and then have to move them again if another school is built. Um, I also have a unique concern. I live right on Schoolhouse Road and I'm like right on the bend as you come around the corner and often people speed down that street and so I have a huge concern of the city refuses to put in stop signs or speed bumps on that road and it's a blind corner as cars are coming in and if we have more homes or more cars from Northshore the traffic on that road will be insane. Um I would just love to see the children more evenly distributed between all the elementaryaries. there are elementaryaries nearby that can handle more students where every single classroom in our
030elementary is currently full. Um I have also heard that the district believes that if springside is under pressure for a few years that we'll get a new school faster, but there is no promise. There's needs in the high schools and the middle schools and there's no guarantee that Wander or Northshore will get an elementary first. I fear that the higher the numbers are, the less like a community it will feel. we might not be able to do things like the fall festival or um night at the library and those community activities are something that feel very important to me and my family. So, please help springside help us stay a community and give these children the stability that they deserve. [applause] So, next up we have Mandy Krauss, Haley Dean, and Camille Nichols. Hi, I'm
031Mandy Krauss and um thank you for the time and effort that has gone into evaluating school boundary options. I understand the complexity of this decision and the many competing factors involved. Saratoga has become a highly desirable community largely because families trust the quality of schools and community. >> [clears throat] >> Many families move here specifically to raise young children and invest long term in this community. When school growth outpaces capacity in a way that impacts students experience, it risks the undermining that trust in our community and our city. I speak today both as a former teacher who has worked in an overcrowded school and as a parent directly affected by this proposal. While while I understand the logistical rationale behind boundary changes, I ask that the live day-to-day impact on students and educators be given
032equal weight. As a former teacher at Middle Elementary during a huge community growth, Dry Creek was originally built to relieve overcrowding. Redirecting students in a way that significantly overcrowds another school such as Springside risks recreating that same problem. Is this problem being fed into a potential new district? Or is this problem considering the education of children the heart of what we stand for as educators? Boundary changes should be measured not only by physical space, but by educational quality, class sizes, access to teachers, school culture, and daily student experience. Although it may be possible to physically accommodate more students on campus, overcrowding affects more than facilities. It affects teacher retention, student support, and the overall learning environment. I speak from experience. I worked with incredible teachers and principles, and we pivoted in adapting more collaborative teaching
033efforts. However, the reality is we could not meet all learners, especially those in margins, and realistically all students could not receive the education they needed and deserved. Teachers are already under significant strain and changes like this can contribute to burnout and staff turnover which directly impacts educational quality. Additionally, busting students is already part of this propos proposal. If transportation is required, I ask that alternatives be considered that better balance enrollment across schools rather than concentrating strain in one location. Strong public schools rely on partnership between families, educators, and leadership. When families feel excluded from decisions that directly affect their children that partnership weakens these students cannot advocate for themselves, it's our responsibility as adults to do so thoughtfully and constructively logistically. It would not be ideal to bus students to a school further than the
034closest school. However, the deeper issues that needs to be addressed is the quality of education that will be received. I believe this should be put in priority over logistics and financial reasons. I know this is a complex issue, but I please ask you to consider something that can accommodate all involved in this change. Um, the pro proposal affects over a thousand students. The long-term educational impact of overcrowding outweighs short-term logistical or financial convenience. I urge the boards to continue exploring solutions that equitably support all schools, all educators, and all students involved. These are 12,000 1,200 plus students futures. As a former Alpine educator and continuous educator in other ways, I know and like to believe that everyone is here for one thing only, for shaping [music] young lives and the futures of communities. Thank you
035so much for all you guys do. I appreciate it. Sorry, I have a lot to say apparently. [applause] So, Haley, Camille, and then Angela Winkler. A little too short for this. [laughter] All right. I'd like to second, third, fourth everything everyone has said. My name is Haley Dean. My children have attended Springside Elementary for the past seven years. Um, I'm here not only as a mother, but as an educator who understands how deeply school stability impacts the children and job satisfaction. As a prior teacher at Sage Hills, I now understand with this boundary study study that they will be losing quite a few uh teachers there. and those are uh my friends that are now having to make some changes because they're not um able to get school uh students to the school at that
036time. I understand that this proposal is largely driven by enrollment numbers and building capacity and we've heard that Springside has a physical ability to accommodate more students potentially bringing enrollment enrollment above 1000 students. We also know that other schools such as Sage Hills are in need of additional students. But capacity and optimal learning environment are not the same thing. Just because a building can hold more students does not necessarily mean that it should, especially if that decision comes at the cost of community stability and student well-being. I have a daughter with autism who has received thoughtful, consistent support at Sage at Springside Elementary. One of her greatest challenges has been making friends and learning to regulate her emotional outbursts. Over year over the years with the help of staff and peers, she has been built
037meaningful friendships with students who understand and accept her. For the first time, life at school and at home have felt steady. With this boundary change, she would be required to change schools while her established friends remain at Springside. Since learning about the possibility, we've already seen an increase in anxiety and emotional outburst. For a child on the spectrum, starting over socially is not a small adjustment. It is a major disruption. She is not the only student who relies on predictable environments. And trusted relationships, stability is not just convenient. For many children, it is essential. I know these decisions are complex. But when we shift students simply because a building has space, we are not just balancing numbers. We are impacting real families and real support systems. It takes a village to raise a child and
038many of our villages are being disrupted. I respectfully ask that you consider not just what schools can't handle on paper, but what truly supports children long term. I want to make it very clear that I understand that boundary adjustments need to be made. And as a teacher and a mother, I understand what effects these can have. And I want every child, regardless of if my children continue to go to Springside or not, have the support and the education that they need. I thank you for your time and consideration. [applause] So, Camille, then Angela Winkler, and then Jamie Hansen. Hi, my name is Camille Nichols and I live in Saratoga Springs in the Legacy Farms community. I have three kids currently attending Springside and a fourth will be joining them in a few more years. As
039the boundary boundary study is conducted, I believe the most important factor to consider is equity for each student. Each student is entitled to a well-rounded education, including core subjects, as well as quality specialties in a designated specialty room, not the classroom. A reasonable lunchtime, not too early or too late, and a safe place to play at recess. For this to happen, available resources should be utilized. If one school is seeing a decrease in student population, then an area with more students should be shifted to that school to take advantage of available space and existing teachers at that school. Also, I believe school capacity and a fiscal analysis of each option should be made available for transparency to the community. Would bringing in several portables to one school be fiscally responsible when another option could be
040utilized by taking advantage of another school that has decreased enrollment. I would love to see another school be built nearby and wander. But the reality of this happening is still several years away. We need to focus on what is currently the most equitable option for each and I'm dropping the mic. [laughter] Mic. [snorts] Okay. One second, please. Are we setting Springside up for failure by planning for too many students to attend in the next couple of years? This seems ridiculous when we have other schools with capacity. It's inevitable that boundaries will change again. So, I think we need to consider equity every single time the boundaries are changed. If a Wander school is ever built, we can change the boundaries again. Other areas need a new school, too. So, we aren't guaranteed to get a
041school in Wander. I am also currently very concerned about the traffic at Springside at dropoff and especially at pickup, specifically on the south side of the school where the buses wait to enter the bus circle. Cars are parked along both sides of the of the road and others are trying to enter the kindergarten pickup area. This is already currently very dangerous. I can't even imagine how things will change when the enrollment increases. I get that the enrollment will increase no matter what option is chosen, but we should choose the most equitable option and not add 500 more students. Thank you for taking your time to read all of our comments and to listen to us tonight and for considering what is the best for each student. If your student went to Springside, which option would
042you choose? Would you fight for your student to have an equitable education where they are set up for success? Thank you very much. >> [applause] >> Okay. So, Angela Winkler, Jamie Hansen, and then Crystal Jeffers. Hello. My name is Angela Winkler. I'm um a mother of five students, two of which are at Springside Elementary. My other two are at um Lake Mountain Middle School and then I have one over at Westlake High School. Um so I just wanted to take a minute to give you some of the observations that I have seen over the last six years of having my kids in this area and in these schools, especially since Lake Mountain and Westlake are already overcrowded schools. Um, some of the observations I've seen is um, struggles with parking in every single one of
043my schools, which requires a lot of time out of my day. But that's not the most important thing to me. It's the seeing of the possible accidents that happen almost on a daily basis on every single one of the fronts. Knowing how Springside Elementary is now, I know that it is cannot handle more. I've also seen um teachers and students getting hurt during drills, which is concerning. Um my children have called home periodically because they can't get lunch because kids cut in line and they just cannot get through all the students quick enough. I have seen um sorry I'm shaking um I've seen a huge amount of my children's friends dealing with depression and anxiety because of the large numbers and I've seen um my own children dealing with these anxieties and stress. I just
044ask humbly that you consider these numbers and the importance of these children because it is impacting them. My ninth grader now when she was in second grade had a high amount of children in her class and she has not recovered from it since. Please do consider to be equitable with these numbers and help these children have a successful time in school. Thank you. So, we have Jamie Crystal and then Broo McKay. My name is Jamie Hansen. I have two kids and I currently serve as the PTA president at Springside Elementary. I've had the privilege of representing this school and community for over six years and I speak today on behalf of many families who are deeply concerned about the proposed enrollment growth for our school. We are asking for balance. Springside Elementary should not be
045expected to absorb a disproportionate amount of growth while other schools in the district remain under capacity. When one school becomes overcrowded, the impact is not just on class size. It impacts the entire educational experience. Our families care deeply about preserving the quality of education our st students currently receive. That experience extends beyond the classroom and into common are common areas and specialty programs. Our students deserve the same quality of education and opportunities as every other school in the study. That means fully functioning specialty groups, not rolling carts, not makeshift art programs, and not PE limited to a yoga mat and in the classroom. Our students deserve dedicated art spaces, proper PE instruction, and the same access to specialty learning environments that other schools will continue to have. When there are other schools with available space,
046capacity in classrooms, it is not fair to expect springside students to sacrifice these educational experiences. Growth should be shared, not concentrated. We respectfully ask the board to continue reviewing options that will keep enrollment numbers balanced across the schools to spread growth across multiple campuses and to avoid placing the burden on the the school community. Please seek solutions that preserve this culture, quality, and balance of Springside Elementary. Thank you for your time, your service, and commitment to doing what's best for all of our students. [applause] >> So, Crystal Brooke, and then Emma Mortonson. >> Hello, I'm Crystal Jeffers. I don't Oh, there we go. Um, I am probably gonna cry because I'm an emotional speaker. Um, so I apologize for that ahead of time. I don't have anything right now this morning. I didn't expect to
047be here. Um, but I'm from um, Saratoga Northshore community. Um, [snorts] and my kids currently attend Dry Creek. I am so sorry. Just got to get it out in the first second and then it'll go away. Um, but I do want to commend everybody from Springside [snorts] Sporting Your Children. I think it's fantastic because it's exactly why I'm here, too. >> [snorts] >> I think that if roles were reversed, I'd be doing the same thing, [snorts] wanting my kid to have all those same things because that's why I'm here right now. I want my child to stay with their community and not be split away. I'm specifically from the south end of Northshore and one of the proposed ones splits us off from the rest of our community [snorts] and my son's in second grade
048and he's like one of two second graders in that whole our whole section and that would lose all of his friends [snorts] and that sucks. Um, so I'd really [snorts] like to have a proposal that keeps us with our entire Northshore community, [snorts] but I also want to keep our kids close to home. And I feel like if if we can find a way that does that and get Springside at a good level we call wind, that would be ideal. Obviously, that might not be the case, but I just ask that we can keep our community as Northshore together because Community is so important. And these kids already have to leave Dry Creek so we can at least keep them with the people that they know, the kids that they know. That would be ideal,
049too. And keep them as close to home as possible. That's all that I think I ask. And a lot of the parents as well at Northshore. That's all I have to say. [applause] So, Brooke, Emma, and then Chelsea Withers. Hi, I'm Brook Mackey. Um, I am a parent at Springside as well as a board member of the PTA at Springside. Um, this generation of children is already facing an epidemic of anxiety and depression. Our kids are overstimulated, overwhelmed, and under increasing pressure. If you add 500 to 600 more students to a school beyond what it currently serves, common sense tells us we are setting them up for failure. A school is so much more than a desk in a classroom. You may be able to provide enough desks at at those numbers, but you cannot
050replace the many other elements that create a healthy, supportive, and meaningful educational experience. connection, calm, safety, stability, and true sense of belonging. The idea that any option that creates extremely large enrollment numbers is stable simply because the boundaries simply because boundaries do not change or that everything will be resolved by a future school in the area is false hope. We have already seen this pattern. [snorts] A recent boundary study in Eagle Mountain projects mountain trails at nearly 1,500 students by 2029 while surrounding schools remain near a thousand. Another recent Saratoga boundary study places simple places multiple bound sorry places multiple schools in 900 to 1,000 range. [snorts] Now, Springside is being asked to absorb 500 to 600 more students under the same repeated assumption that a new school will eventually fix the problem. But there
051is only one new school possible for for all of these areas, and that is only if the bond passes. Springside cannot be set up for failure under a promise that may never materialize, especially when similar as assurances are being made in multiple boundary studies at the same time. We are asking for a solution that keeps enrollment balanced and sustainable. Please provide Springside with a boundary plan that protects students and preserves a long preserves a learning environment free from over stimulation and free from chronic stress that comes with overcrowded schools. Our children deserve schools designated and designed for success, not systems built on future promises and unfortunately short-term fixes. Thank you. [applause] So, Emma Mortonson and then Chelsea Withers. My name is Emma Mortensson. I live in Saratoga Springs and my children also go to Springside.
052Um, let me apologize in advance for how casual my words may may sound compared to everyone else's. I understand that this is a complex job that you all have and I appreciate you taking our concerns seriously. Coming from a family of teachers and knowing the way that my kids learn, the two thing things that I'm concerned the most about are class sizes and rec recreational areas and how those two have an effect on our children's mental health. Most classes at Springside are already at 30 or more um kids, which is already extremely challenging for teachers. I trust teachers capabilities in knowing classroom management techniques, but I also understand that there's only so much they can do when sometimes adding one more child increases the difficulty to have control of their class. My children have expressed
053that it gets harder to learn when the teachers teacher is constantly being interrupted. Children get over overwhelmed. Children experience anxiety and depression. Having enough green areas for kids to decompress and breathe fresh air is also very important. So, I'm concerned about that being reduced by the space that the trailers could take up. after school restraint collapse is something that is also happening more often to kids as a result of holding it together all day. And I don't blame the teachers for this, but I do blame classroom settings and sizes. This is all and I appreciate you um for your time. [applause] Okay, we have Chelsea Withers and then Ashley Hayes. >> Good Oh, I don't know how to use these. Good evening. Um, my name is Chelsea Withers and I live in the Legacy Farms
054community. Um, we've been there for about eight years and I'm a mother of three children currently attending Springside Elementary. I want to begin by expressing my appreciation for the work that you do and the incredibly difficult choices you have to make for our growing district. I am here to add my voice to those who have spoken before me regarding the geographical reality of Saratoga Springs. Um, the bottom line is that in a city with our unique shape, I don't know who came up with it, um, some communities will inevitably have to cross or be bust on large, busy roads like Redwood Road. Isn't that the bane of our existence? Redwood Road. Um, this is unavoidable. Currently, with the new district, we will only have one elementary school east of Redwood Road. With the explosive growth
055hitting that area, it is simply not reasonable to think that springside alone can absorb all of that just because it's the most convenient transportation option. We must address how overcrowding impacts the education and stability of our students. When a school exceeds its intended capacity, the environment changes. We've heard that a lot. Um, lunchrooms become high decibel, high stress environments. common areas like libraries and gyms are partitioned off and the elbow room students need to feel safe and focused disappears. This is especially critical for my family as I also have two neurode divergent children. For them, stability isn't just a preference, it is a requirement for their education. I cannot tell you what their teachers have done for them this year. They rely on those established relationships that they have built with teachers and aids who
056understand their specific needs. Overcrowded classrooms lead to increased sensory overload and the disruption of a boundary change can set progress back by months. Um, [clears throat] when a building is packed, the specialized support and quiet spaces these students depend on are the first things that are sacrificed. Our teachers are also being pushed to a breaking point. They can't handle this. It's not fair to them. We can't continue to use boundary changes as a band-aid fix that pushes one school past its limits. It is a temporary solution for a permanent growth problem. Our top priority must be the education and stability of our students. We ask that you come up with another option, as much work as that is, that will serve all of our area's elementary schools equally, rather than placing an impossible burden on
057one campus. We need long-term infrastructure and facilities that reflect our city's map. Thank you for your time, [applause] Ashley Hayes. Hello, I'm Ashley Hayes. Sorry, I was in the middle of copying, pasting, and moving things around when you called me up here. I hope it still makes sense. Um, I'm Ashley Hayes. My daughter isn't in school yet. She will be starting this fall. Um, honestly, I feel uncomfortable speaking tonight. I don't feel the most confident on this topic because as a community I feel we've received inconsistent answers about capacity and long-term projections that makes it difficult to feel confident in the path forward. Clear unified communication from the board would go a really long way for us. I don't currently have a child there now. She starts next year. So I'm speaking from a place
058of protect not from protecting something I already have but her future. Recently, I stopped by to drop off a teddy bear for my neighbor's daughter for a teddy bear picnic. When I walked into the office, they immediately knew who she was. They knew how important that bear was to her. They knew its name. They knew her whole personality. That doesn't happen everywhere. That happens in a school where kids are truly known, which is incredible for such a large school. As enrollment grows, my concern isn't about a specific boundary line. It's about what happens to the environment families are choosing when a school approaches 1400 or more students, especially if there isn't funded relief in place. At that size, it's not just a number. It affects whether the gym can continue serving both lunch and PE
059without sacrificing one. It affects whether music and art remain dedicated programs or shift to carts and shared spaces. It affects staffing ratios. It affects how visible students are to administrators. It affects whether teachers are stretched thin. Those things change the daily experience. If these numbers are temporary, that's one conversation. And since the new scroll isn't uh confirmed to be funded, I think it's fair to ask what the long-term plan is. If those enrollment numbers aren't temporary, if this becomes indefinite and if enrollment in the area continues to grow, what is our plan? I understand we have growth growth. We support growth, but we need to know there's a clear sustainable plan, not just for next year, but for the long term. >> [applause] >> Okay, it is 656. I declare the public hearing closed. Um,
060thank you to all of those who provided feedback tonight. Um, first up on our agenda, approval of minutes. Do we have a motion regarding the approval of minutes? >> I move that we approve of the minutes. Okay. So, we have a motion by board member Bon. Do we have a second? >> Second by board member Peterson. Any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor of approving the minutes with a motion made by board member Bon and a board and a second made by board member Peterson, please say I. >> I. Any opposed? >> I. >> Thank you, board member Wilson. That passes unanimously. Next up, routine business. Superintendent. >> One item tonight. Board members, uh, an expulsion and would recommend your approval of the routine business. >> Okay. Do we have a motion to approve the
061routine business? >> I move to approve the routine business. >> I'll second. Okay. So, we have a motion by board member Lincoln and a second by board member Baitman. Any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor of approving the routine business, please say I. I. >> I. Okay, so next up we have action items. Superintendent, >> three uh action items for you tonight and uh each of these have been approved by the respective boards in the three new districts. The first one is a resolution for a cell tower lease. Uh we had this on our agenda, postponed it so we could have additional conversation, get it approved by the Aspen Peaks District, which has done that. The cell tower extension is for Lone Peak High School. Revenue from this tower is kept at the school level.
062So that's item number one and I can talk about all three and then you can take um action as you deem uh appropriate. The second one is ORM Junior High. This was uh considered by the Tempenogus board. Again, similar extension. Um you have that you've seen that in your documents. And then the final one is a utility easement with Rocky Mountain Power for a future elementary school in the Wander development. Um and uh my recommendation is the board act upon each one of these and approve each one of these resolutions this evening. >> And just to confirm, superintendent, these were all previously approved by the respective boards. >> That is correct. >> Okay. Um, do we have a motion regarding resolution 2026-00002, a T-Mobile cell tower lease agreement at Lone Peak High School? >> I
063move that we approve resolution 20260002, T-Mobile sold tower lease agreement at Lone Peak High School. >> I'll second that. >> Okay. So, we have a motion by board member Baitman and a second by board member Lincoln. Any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor of approving resolution 2026-002, the T-Mobile cell tower lease agreement at Lone Peak High School, please say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Okay, that appears to pass unanimously. Next up, uh, do we have a motion regarding resolution 2026-003, the Teemo Tower lease agreement at Oramm Junior High? I move that we pass resolution 2026003, a T-Mobile cell tower lease agreement at ORM Junior High. >> Okay. Do we have a second? >> I'll second. >> Second. >> So, we have a motion by board member Peterson and a second by board member Lincoln
064to approve resolution 2026-3. Any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor, please say I. >> I. I. >> Any opposed? That appears to pass unanimously. Uh, do we have a motion regarding resolution 2026-006, the utility easement with Rocky Mountain Power at Wander? >> I will make this motion that we approve the resolution. Um, do we have a second? >> I'll second. >> Okay, we have a motion by board member King and a second by board member Lincoln. Any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor of approving resolution 2026-006, utility easement with Rocky Mountain Power Wander, please say I. >> I. >> Okay, that appears to pass unanimously. Okay, next up, uh, we have board member and superintendent reports and information items. Um we are in that season of stakeholder reports and so I just want to say
065thank you to all the people who were part of putting those together. It is is really great information just packed in a small area that gives you information on the demographics, some of the highlights of the schools, um graduation rates and things. So it is definitely a lift with all the information that's contained in there. So, I wanted to say thank you to everybody that has participated at those. And madame president, might we invite our governit students? >> All right, govern sit friends, come on up. Let's take a picture. How many >> carriagebody? [laughter] >> Oh, wait, wait, wait. You can't see anybody in the back. >> No, I'm just Yeah, >> absolutely. You're good. Turn a wide angle. Turn it white. There you go. [laughter] >> Yeah. Thanks for coming. Just on that Govvin
066sit note, I will give a shout out to our Skyidge teachers. They have revamped the program for this year and there are several more actionoriented opportunities for the students. So, thank you to all they're doing to pre um prepare students to be voting adults in our communities. [applause] Hey, just as we come to the end of winter sports, it has been really fun to be at many state tournaments over the last couple weeks and as we start to move into the fine arts performance season and is another fun time to be out in the schools. And I'm just grateful for all of the opportunities that are provided for our students both athletically and through the arts. Okay. So, we do have need for close session to discuss personnel, property, and litigation. So, we need to
067do a roll call vote. Um, so I'm going to call your name and then Well, actually, I need a motion. I lied. I need a motion. Can someone motion that we move into close session for those reasons? >> I move that we go into close session for the reasons previously stated. We >> have a second. I'll second. So, we have a motion by board member Baitman and a second by board member Peterson. Roll call vote. Um motion to move into close session. Board member Lincoln >> I. >> Board member Baitman. >> I. >> Board member King I. Board member Peterson >> I. >> Board member Bon. >> Hi. >> Board member Wilson >> I. >> Okay. This uh meeting is adjourned and moved into close session at 7:05.