OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — Parents in the Shawnee Mission School District are upset over possible changes that could mean their children will have to go to a different school.
A lot of emotion was on display Monday night as parents surrounded Superintendent Jim Hinson, asking about potential boundary line changes and how they are supposed to tell their child they are being forced to leave schools.
The problem stems from overcrowding at some Shawnee Mission schools. The school district has shuttered 12 schools since 2001 because of a loss of student population. But in the last couple of years, the district said it has had a sudden increase in students due to young families moving in.
This year’s kindergarten class is the school district’s biggest since 1995. Because of that, the district was asked to the address the overcrowding. The superintendent said a decision has not yet been made, but parents were angered Monday night and worried for their kids.
Dr. Hinson told parents that every option is still on the table, lines have not been redrawn, but that the issue needs to be addressed. He says he will make a recommendation to the school board on May 28.
