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We petition the LISD boundary committee and the LISD Board to not accept any rezoning proposal that reduces the current optimal enrollment levels at Shadow Ridge. Both LISD Boundary Committee rezoning finalist proposals leave Shadow Ridge with a crippling low population. Shadow Ridge is a well functioning school. There are plenty of lockers for the students. The lunch room is not overcrowded. Every teacher has a classroom. No teachers share rooms or float. The teacher:student ratio is good. The school has the depth of enrollment to field successful sports teams and excel in the fine arts. There are enough teachers to support a broad range of academic UIL teams and other student groups. Any projected enrollment growth in coming years due to development will be offset by enrollment decline associated with aging neighborhoods. Candidate rezoning plan 1 reduces Shadow Ridge population to 533. Candidate rezoning plan 2 reduces Shadow Ridge population to 597. Each of these figures is less than the current Forestwood enrollment. If the Shadow Ridge population falls significantly, Shadow Ridge will be faced by the same challenges Forestwood faces today. Likely impacts of this reduction include: • Declining Shadow Ridge budget because budgets are based on enrollment • Loss of teachers • Teachers having to teach multiple subjects or multiple grades • Fewer elective class options. • Fewer sections of each course, causing more restrictive schedule options • Greater challenges for our students as they compete in athletics and the fine arts. • Loss of the opportunity to have grade-level teacher teams. Teacher teams facilitate: o Teachers working together cohesively o Teachers to more effectively supporting students o Better communication with parents o Creation of student sub-communities. Studies show that small communities provide an optimal learning environment for students. These impacts are unacceptable and unnecessary. Don’t fix what isn’t broken. More importantly, certainly don’t break what isn’t broken. Clearly Forestwood would benefit from a larger student population and McKamy needs relief from its overcrowding. Any rezoning to address these important issues should not negatively impact Shadow Ridge by moving any portion of its current community to another school.

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