To relieve overcrowding at McDermott ES, there is currently a boundary change proposal before the Board of Trustees to move some areas from McDermott Elementary School to Thornton Elementary School, Rhodes Elementary School, and Oak Hills Terrace Elementary School, and from Rhodes Elementary School to Thornton Elementary School effective August 2025. To learn more about the proposed boundary changes, four public hearings are scheduled.
Boundary Change Details:
- Effective Date: The proposed boundary changes would be effective in the 2025-26 school year.
- VIDEO: Boundary Proposal Mead and McDermott
Public Hearings:
- McDermott ES to Thornton ES (Area A on the map)
- Date: November 4, 2024
- Time: 6:30 p.m.
- Location: Thornton Elementary School Cafeteria, 6450 Pembroke
- Affected Communities:
- Boardwalk on Research Apts
- Chisolm Trace Apts
- Cortland at Fredericksburg Apts
- The Village at Heritage Cove
- Botanica Oakland Estates- *opening soon
Dear NISD Parent,
In order to provide needed enrollment relief to McDermott and Mead elementary schools and to better balance enrollment and school capacity in this area of the District, there is currently a proposal before our Board of Trustees to move some students from McDermott Elementary School to Thornton Elementary School in August 2025. You are receiving this email because your address is included in the proposed boundary change area from McDermott Elementary to Thornton Elementary School (area “A” on the enclosed map). If your child is attending another campus because of a transfer, you may be currently assigned to other schools within this cluster. Additionally, if your child is on a multi-year transfer at other schools (i.e., school choice transfer), this letter may not apply to you.
Students who will be in 5th grade during the 2025-2026 school year may opt to remain at McDermott ES rather than attend Thornton ES, if the family provides their own transportation. Please read the attached Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) to learn more about the boundary change process.
Also attached is a flyer for a public hearing on the proposed attendance zone change for students in your area. The School Boundary Advisory Committee (SBAC), made up of NISD parents, will hold a hearing to gather input on the boundary change proposal at 6:30 p.m., Monday, November 4, 2024, in the Thornton Elementary School Cafeteria, 6450 Pembroke. If you are unable to attend, we will accept comments in writing using the link below or by returning the attached form no later than November 1, 2024.
Please review the attached map to see if the proposal affects you and your child(ren). The affected communities are listed. This proposal may change, as some streets or communities may be added or deleted in the final proposal. After the public hearing, the SBAC will make a recommendation to the NISD Board of Trustees, who are scheduled to vote on the attendance zone at the regular Board meeting on December 10, 2024.
For more information you can also CLICK HERE to view a short video about this proposed boundary change.
If you have any questions about this letter, please contact my office at 210-397-8771 or email us at boundary@nisd.net.
CLICK HERE to provide comments, questions, or concerns.
Sincerely,
Ray Galindo
Deputy Superintendent for Administration
Northside Independent School District
- McDermott ES to Rhodes ES (Area B on the map)
- Date: November 18, 2024
- Time: 6:30 p.m.
- Location: Rhodes Elementary School Cafeteria, 5714 North Knoll
- Affected Communities:
- Kenton Place
- Hearthstone Apts
- Riverstone Apts
- Axis Hamilton
- Gardens Med Center Apts
- Woodside Condominiums
Dear NISD Parent,
In order to provide needed enrollment relief to McDermott and Mead elementary schools and to better balance enrollment and school capacity in this area of the District, there is currently a proposal before our Board of Trustees to move some students from McDermott Elementary School to Rhodes Elementary School in August 2025. You are receiving this email because your address is included in the proposed boundary change area from McDermott Elementary to Rhodes Elementary School (area “B” on the enclosed map). If your child is attending another campus because of a transfer, you may be currently assigned to other schools within this cluster. Some families receiving this letter may be on a multi-year school choice transfer at another school; therefore, this letter may not apply to you.
Students who will be in 5th grade during the 2025-2026 school year may opt to remain at McDermott ES rather than attend Rhodes ES, if the family provides their own transportation. Please read the attached Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) to learn more about the boundary change process.
Also attached is a flyer for a public hearing on the proposed attendance zone change for students in your area. The School Boundary Advisory Committee (SBAC), made up of NISD parents, will hold a hearing to gather input on the boundary change proposal at 6:30 p.m., Monday, November 18, 2024, in the Rhodes Elementary School Cafeteria, 5714 North Knoll. If you are unable to attend, we will accept comments in writing using the link below or by returning the attached form no later than November 1, 2024.
Please review the attached map to see if the proposal affects you and your child(ren). The affected communities are listed. This proposal may change, as some streets or communities may be added or deleted in the final proposal. After the public hearing, the SBAC will make a recommendation to the NISD Board of Trustees, who are scheduled to vote on the attendance zone at the regular Board meeting on December 10, 2024.
For more information you can also CLICK HERE to view a short video about this proposed boundary change.
If you have any questions about this letter, please contact my office at 210-397-8771 or email us at boundary@nisd.net.
CLICK HERE to provide comments, questions, or concerns.
Sincerely,
Ray Galindo
Deputy Superintendent for Administration
Northside Independent School District
- McDermott ES to Oak Hills Terrace ES (Area C on the map)
- Date: November 19, 2024
- Time: 6:30 p.m.
- Location: Oak Hills Terrace Elementary School Cafeteria, 5710 Cary Grant Dr.
- Affected Communities:
- The District at Medical Center Apts
- Medical Center Apts
- Broadstone Medical Center Apts
- Wurzbach Tower
- Hawthorne House
Dear NISD Parent,
In order to provide needed enrollment relief to McDermott and Mead elementary schools and to better balance enrollment and school capacity in this area of the District, there is currently a proposal before our Board of Trustees to move some students from McDermott Elementary School to Oak Hills Terrace Elementary School in August 2025. You are receiving this email because your address is included in the proposed boundary change area from McDermott Elementary to Oak Hills Terrace Elementary School (area “C” on the enclosed map). If your child is attending another campus because of a transfer, you may be currently assigned to other schools within this cluster. Additionally, if your child is on a multi-year transfer at other schools (i.e., school choice transfer), this letter may not apply to you.
Students who will be in 5th grade during the 2025-2026 school year may opt to remain at McDermott ES rather than attend Oak Hills Terrace ES, if the family provides their own transportation. Please read the attached Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) to learn more about the boundary change process.
Also attached is a flyer for a public hearing on the proposed attendance zone change for students in your area. The School Boundary Advisory Committee (SBAC), made up of NISD parents, will hold a hearing to gather input on the boundary change proposal at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, November 19, 2024, in the Oak Hills Terrace Elementary School Cafeteria, 5710 Cary Grant. If you are unable to attend, we will accept comments in writing using the link below or by returning the attached form no later than November 1, 2024.
Please review the attached map to see if the proposal affects you and your child(ren). The affected communities are listed. This proposal may change, as some streets or communities may be added or deleted in the final proposal. After the public hearing, the SBAC will make a recommendation to the NISD Board of Trustees, who are scheduled to vote on the attendance zone at the regular Board meeting on December 10, 2024.
For more information you can also CLICK HERE to view a short video about this proposed boundary change.
If you have any questions about this letter, please contact my office at 210-397-8771 or email us at boundary@nisd.net.
CLICK HERE to provide comments, questions, or concerns.
Sincerely,
Ray Galindo
Deputy Superintendent for Administration
Northside Independent School District
- Rhodes ES to Thornton ES (Area D on the map)
- Date: November 4, 2024
- Time: 6:30 p.m.
- Location: Thornton Elementary School Cafeteria, 6450 Pembroke
- Affected Communities:
- The Retreat at Medical Center Apts
- The Cliffs of Whitby Apts
- Villas Santiago Townhomes
- The Hills on Huebner Apts
- Pecan Hill on Whitby
- The Plaza on Whitby Rd
- Northampton
- Firewheel Apts
- Echo Creek TH
- Elm Ridge
Dear NISD Parent,
In order to provide needed enrollment relief to McDermott and Mead elementary schools and to better balance enrollment and school capacity in this area of the District, there is currently a proposal before our Board of Trustees to move some students from Rhodes Elementary School to Thornton Elementary School in August 2025. You are receiving this email because your address is included in the proposed boundary change area from Rhodes Elementary to Thornton Elementary School (area “D” on the enclosed map). If your child is attending another campus because of a transfer, you may be currently assigned to other schools within this cluster. Additionally, if your child is on a multi-year transfer at other schools (i.e., school choice transfer), this letter may not apply to you.
Students who will be in 5th grade during the 2025-2026 school year may opt to remain at Rhodes ES rather than attend Thornton ES, if the family provides their own transportation. Please read the attached Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) to learn more about the boundary change process.
Also attached is a flyer for a public hearing on the proposed attendance zone change for students in your area. The School Boundary Advisory Committee (SBAC), made up of NISD parents, will hold a hearing to gather input on the boundary change proposal at 6:30 p.m., Monday, November 4, 2024, in the Thornton Elementary School Cafeteria, 6450 Pembroke. If you are unable to attend, we will accept comments in writing using the link below or by returning the attached form no later than November 1, 2024.
Please review the attached map to see if the proposal affects you and your child(ren). The affected communities are listed. This proposal may change, as some streets or communities may be added or deleted in the final proposal. After the public hearing, the SBAC will make a recommendation to the NISD Board of Trustees, who are scheduled to vote on the attendance zone at the regular Board meeting on December 10, 2024.
For more information you can also CLICK HERE to view a short video about this proposed boundary change.
If you have any questions about this letter, please contact my office at 210-397-8771 or email us at boundary@nisd.net.
CLICK HERE to provide comments, questions, or concerns.
Sincerely,
Ray Galindo
Deputy Superintendent for Administration
Northside Independent School District
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are boundary changes necessary?
As NISD experiences changes in enrollment, school boundaries may change to populate new schools, to alleviate overcrowding at existing campuses, or to balance enrollment.
What are some alternatives to changing school boundaries?
When practical, the District may:
- Allocate portable buildings
- Cap campus enrollment, sending subsequently enrolled students to another campus with surplus capacity
- Build an addition to the facility
When a boundary change is necessary, what principles guide its development?
We take many factors into consideration when defining an attendance area. Since managing enrollment is our primary concern, we first look at:
- campus enrollment projections and
- capacity
Other factors include:
- feeder patterns
- community unity (i.e., not splitting a neighborhood)
- geographic proximity
- frequency of change for students
- program accommodations and student needs
- cost effectiveness
Who determines when and where boundary changes are needed?
The Office of Resource Planning tracks community development, projected enrollment and campus capacity for all schools in NISD. Through an ongoing process of data review, Resource Planning outlines plans for needed boundary changes. The Superintendent and Cabinet review each plan and decide on an Administrative Proposal.
What is the process for making boundary changes?
Resource Planning presents the Administrative Proposal for a boundary change to the Board of Trustees as an information item and then to the School Boundary Advisory Committee (SBAC) for review.
The Administrative Proposal is announced to the public through various methods and feedback is requested:
- Flyers are e-mailed to affected students’ parent/guardian e-mail address on file.
- Articles are published through District channels and the NISD website (www.nisd.net).
- The Communications Department also distributes news releases to local media.
The SBAC hosts public hearing(s) where patrons can review the Administrative Proposal, ask questions, voice opinions and submit written feedback.
The SBAC meets to review the public’s written feedback and opinions voiced in the public forum. The SBAC discusses the needs of the District, the guiding principles for boundary changes and desires of the community. After studying the details, the SBAC ultimately votes on a recommended boundary to present in a report to the Board of Trustees.
The chairperson of the SBAC presents the Recommended Boundary Report to the Board of Trustees as an action item. Following discussion, the Board votes to approve/disapprove and/or modify the SBAC’s recommended boundary. Attendance areas for District schools are only established by the Board.
Who is part of the School Boundary Advisory Committee (SBAC)?
The SBAC is a committee composed of two patrons from each middle school attendance area in NISD and approved by the Board of Trustees. Members are parents of elementary, middle or high school-age students. To maintain continuity from each attendance area, members normally serve overlapping two-year terms. District employees are not eligible.
Once approved, do boundary changes apply to all students?
Yes. Northside ISD assigns students to schools according to the street address where the student resides. Once the Board approves a boundary, it applies to all students living within the attendance zone with the following exceptions:
Exceptions when opening a NEW school:
- Elementary School: The year a boundary change goes into effect, incoming 5th grade students may remain at their former school, but the District does not provide transportation.
- Middle School: The year a boundary change goes into effect, incoming 7th and 8th grade students may remain at their former school, but this does not apply to rising siblings and the District does not provide transportation for students who remain.
- High School: NISD opens new high schools without a senior class. The year a boundary change goes into effect, incoming 12th grade students remain at their former high school. The District continues to provide transportation to eligible 12th grade students under District guidelines.
Exceptions for boundary changes between two EXISTING schools:
- Elementary School: same as above.
- Middle School: same as above.
- High School: Returning high school students and their concurrently enrolled siblings may continue at their former high school. Transportation shall not be provided by the District.
