School board approves boundaries for Dallas Harris elementary in Southeast Boise
The Boise school board on Monday approved the proposed boundaries for Dallas Harris Elementary School, a new school in Southeast Boise that’s expected to open in fall 2023.
The boundaries for the new school will include the Barber Valley area north of the Boise River and extend to the northeast corner of the Boise School District boundary. The boundaries for Riverside and Adams elementary schools will be reduced.
The new school comes as part of a $172.5 million bond Boise voters approved with 86% support in 2017. The district hopes to break ground on the school this spring and estimates the school will start with about 380 students.
To develop the boundaries, the district formed a committee that included a number of stakeholders including administrators, parents from Adams and Riverside elementary schools, the Ada County Highway District and the city of Boise.
The committee looked at factors such as neighboring school boundaries, number of students living in an area, and housing developments to determine the boundaries.
Parents and guardians with students at Adams and Riverside schools were also asked to participate in a survey about the proposed boundaries. The majority of feedback the district received was positive, though some opposed the new boundaries because they wanted their children to stay at their current school, said supervisor Lanette Daw. The district anticipates space at Riverside and Adams, so families who want to stay at those schools can apply through the open enrollment process, Daw said.
Board President Dave Wagers said trustees received emails from several people, including from the Barber Valley Neighborhood Association in favor of the boundaries.
“I think that’s very reflective the process we go through as well, which is intentional and long, but inclusive,” he said.
The school will serve about 500 kids in kindergarten through sixth grade. It will be the first new school the district has added since 2008, when the district built Morley Nelson and Grace Jordan Elementary schools, spokesperson Dan Hollar previously told the Idaho Statesman.
About 3 acres of land were donated by the family of Dallas Harris for the school.
Boise School District adopts new logo
During the meeting Monday, the school board also adopted a new Boise School District logo.
Ryan Hill, spokesperson for the district, said the new logo is representative of the Boise School District community and its stakeholders.
“We stand here on the shoulders of some phenomenal people and that includes this logo, which was designed by the art director at Boise High School in 1969,” said Hill, pointing to an image of the current logo. “That being said, it’s time for a new one.”
The new logo is a stylized book that symbolizes learning, knowledge, imagination and growth, Hill said. The open pages “form a valley in the Boise foothills.” A sunrise is shown over the foothills, representing that every day is a new opportunity for growth and a bright future, he said. The colors represent the four neighborhood high school colors.
“I believe that this really does represent the best that we as a district have to offer,” Hill said.
The district expects to start to incorporate its new logo during the 2022-2023 school year. The district will add the logo into other elements such as school signs, badges and uniforms during regularly scheduled maintenance or as new items are ordered. The transition is expected to be completed over three to five years.
