The questions asked during the meeting were recorded along with the answers, that information is below.

• How many students at each grade level will be attending the new school?
  • Under the current proposal, there are a total of 70 students. The breakdown by grade level is below.
    • K= 13
    • 1st = 9
    • 2^nd = 9
    • 3^rd = 13
    • 4^th = 11
    • 5^th = 7
    • 6^th = 8

• Can 4^th graders be grandfathered too if there are not very many of them?
  • This is one of the options that could be considered by the Board of Education.
• Why weren’t all of the proposals shared together?
  • PLCS wanted parents directly impacted by the proposed change to have the opportunity to provide direct feedback. Hearing directly from parents impacted is important to the overall process of collecting feedback and considering changes.
• Do you send people to the developers so you know what is going on?
  • The Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent for Business are in direct communication with developers and planners.  As each new development is planned, that information is shared directly with PLCS.
• Why can’t neighborhoods that are still forming go to Portal?
  • This is one of the options that could be considered by the Board of Education.
• If there is so much growth, why don’t we have a second new elementary school under construction?
  • In order to build another elementary school, it would have to be included on a bond issue. The current bond issue approved in 2018 only included one elementary school to keep the bond amount and impact on tax rates minimal.
• What is the projection of the new elementary school long range?
  • There are many unknowns as to how quickly developments will occur. However, there are over 640 students total in the current proposed attendance area for the new elementary school. That number would be dependent on the entire area within the boundaries being platted and developed in a short amount of time.
• If the new school is not ready, what is the plan?
  • By December the Board will have a better feel for the timeline of when the new school will open. If the school is not ready, there are many options that will be considered.  The students may be relocated to a temporary location until the school is completed.  Students may remain at PQ until the new school is open or there may be any number of other options considered.  
• What is the current status of the new school?
  • It is currently under construction. Footings are being completed and the hope is to get it closed in before winter so the interior work can proceed all winter long.
• Is there a date set of when the decision is made to open or not?
  • By December, the Board will have a better understanding of the projected timeline.
• If the school opens late, and the students have to stay at PQ for a month or so, can you keep them together?
  • A variety of options will be considered for what will happen if the new school is not ready. This is certainly one of those options.
• How many kids did PQ open with?
  • 246 students
• Can you use combo classrooms at the new school if it is small?
  • Combination classes may be one of the options that are considered as the opening of the new school gets closer.
• If the school could open with 150 where are the other students coming from?
  • There is anticipated growth in the current attendance area and history would show that growth quickens the year a new school opens.
• Why are we moving kids? I would prefer it open small and grow into it instead of move kids there and then have to move them out.
  • The projections for the new school would be to open small and grow into the school. The proposed boundaries are anticipated to be the boundaries long-term.  However, additional growth to the south and future elementary schools may impact the current boundaries.
• What about the middle school? How are the changes impacting middle school?
  • The new elementary school will feed Liberty Middle School just like Prairie Queen. The same students will be attending the middle school, they will just be feeding from a different elementary school. Therefore, the enrollment at Liberty will not be impacted by the opening of the new school.  However, some of the other proposed boundary changes may have an impact on which middle school students attend.
• When do we start talking about another middle school?
  • The long-range plans for the school district would indicate that a 4^th middle school may be necessary. However, there are currently no plans to build that middle school.
• Why are elementary schools built so small?
  • Elementary schools are built for 450-500 or 3 sections at each grade level. A three-section school is efficient for staffing.  Some may consider that small, but many do not like elementary students in schools over 500.  An important fact to remember is that with elementary schools the philosophy has been neighborhood schools, therefore an elementary school serves a smaller geographical area.  
• Who will get bussing to the new school?
  • Bussing may be provided from Sumtur Crossing or other neighborhoods that do not have clear safe walking paths. The decision of bussing will be made prior to the opening of the school
• Have we looked at doing bussing for middle school?
  • Current state law requires school districts to bus anyone who lives over 4 miles from the school. PLCS follows this law at the middle school level.
• Will you allow students to opt into the new school or will it open closed?
  • That decision has not been made yet.
• Will there be Kids Club and what is the timeline?
  • There will be a Kids Club at the new school, and it will be open and ready when the school is open and ready. The new school Kids Club registration will be held on the same timeline as all other Kids Club sites.
• If we are being moved to Portal can we get into Kids Club?
  • If you are currently enrolled in Kids Club, you will be given first priority to register for Kids Club at Portal on the same timeline as the current Portal Kids Club participants.
• Is there a plan for cross lights at 114^th and Lincoln?
  • Cross lights are managed by the city and county. The school district is not involved in the planning of future lights.
• Do you look at safety when you decide bussing?
  • The District guideline for bussing at middle school and high school is that students must live over 4 miles to receive bussing. This is the current state law. At the elementary level the Board has made a decision to bus elementary students that have to cross a major road or have no safe walking path. 
• Do you start over if you are already in Kids Club? Do you go to the bottom of the waiting list?
  • If you are already enrolled in Kids Club at one school, but moving to another school, the same process applies.  All students currently enrolled will be notified and have a window to apply for Kids Club prior to the enrollment being opened up to those not currently enrolled.  If you are enrolled at PQ, you will be notified of the pre-enrollment period.  You can then enroll at Portal or any other school you may be attending.  You will have the same opportunity to get enrolled as those currently attending Kids Club at that school. 
• Why can’t Kids club just hire more staff?
  • Kids Club is run by the Papillion La Vista Schools Foundation, for specific details you should contact them directly.  They are a licensed day care.
• Would you open the school with less than 100 students?
  • The enrollment of the new school at the time of opening is still unknown. No formal minimum or maximum number has been set.
• Will the school be one section per grade level?
  • The number of sections per grade level will be determined based on the final enrollment. It is too early to know how many students will be attending the school.  Past patterns would show that when a new school is announced the number of homes sold with students near the school increases.
• What is the go/No go date for opening the school?
  • The goal is to open the new school in the fall of 2020. How much construction is completed this fall will give us a better understanding if the current timeline is possible or not.
• What will happen to the 65 kids if it’s not open?
  • If the school does not open on time a contingency plan will be developed.
• Grandfathering is current 5^th only? Not siblings?
  • The current proposal is to grandfather 5^th only but no siblings. This is an alternate option that could be considered by the Board of Education.
• How far down the road for another new elementary school?
  • Building another elementary school would require another bond issue. The current bond issue approved in 2018 only included one new elementary school.
• What about moving Lincoln Way to Portal?
  • This is certainly an alternate option that could be considered by the Board of Education.

General Comments:

• Don’t care if my child is in a small classroom.
• I live one mile from Portal but was made to go to Prairie Queen, now you are moving my child back and it is overcrowded.
• Please don’t move kids into the new school that you are then going to move out.
• Some of the neighborhoods you cannot get through to walk to the new school.