1ST LOOK AT PROPOSED SHIFT IN SCHOOL BOUNDARIES

The Cape Girardeau Board of Education and voters will get a first look at possible changes in elementary school boundaries today.

A committee studying elementary attendance areas since November will present its recommendations at today's board meeting at 6 p.m. at Central Junior High.

The committee was established at the same time the Board of Education approved a 10-year, two-phase master plan for the district.

The first phase calls for construction of a new elementary school and closing of two elementary buildings, Washington and May Greene. The second phase would establish a sixth- and seventh-grade center, moving sixth-graders out of elementary buildings.

These changes would necessitate changes in the boundaries of the city's elementary schools.

Steve Trautwein, chairman of the committee, said the group developed a specific plan for the first phase of the plan and recommendations for the second phase. The second phase of the master plan would be at least five years down the road, and things could change between now and then.

Trautwein declined to discuss specifics of the plan prior to today's presentation. He said details about the proposed new boundaries and the committee's reasons for the recommendations will be discussed at the board meeting.

After the board hears the report, board president Bob Fox said, it likely will ask for public comments on the proposal before approving a plan in February.

A February deadline was set for the committee's report. Superintendent Dan Tallent said a timely report from the committee was important in preparing for an April ballot measure. Voters will be asked to approve a 69-cent tax increase to fund construction and improvements outlined in the master plan.

The committee considered a number of elements in making the decision, including how many students fit comfortably into each elementary building and racial balances of the buildings.

As committee members considered possible boundary changes, school staff calculated what impact moving attendance lines would have on enrollment.

"It's been a fine-tuning process," Trautwein said.