SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO.com) — The monthslong debate over high school boundaries in Sioux Falls has ended.
The Sioux Falls School District has chosen “Option A” to determine where high school students will go once the new Jefferson High School opens in the fall of 2021.
“I feel like sometimes it’s Sophie’s choice; you move one thing, but you’re doing that maybe at the detriment of another building,” Board President Cynthia Mickelson said. “All of these high schools to all of us are our child. We want the best for each one of these buildings.”
The board approved the option by a 4-1 vote, saying on Twitter the option ” keeps as many middle school cohorts feeding into single high school as possible.”
The board also decided to allow one-year “grandfathering,” letting only seniors in the high school class of 2022 stay at their school an extra year if they choose.
Younger siblings of those students will not be grandfathered in, meaning some parents will have children attend school in two different buildings for a year.
“We know that this may add some challenges to some families; we understand that,” Board Vice President Carly Reiter said. “But we also know that it’s likely a one-year kind of transition to get people to their schools.”
A full breakdown of the options, including maps, can be found at the district’s website.
