The separation of childhood and community ties is what’s at stake with the latest proposed elementary boundary changes in the Renton School District. That, and one school that has far too many students was of concern at a public hearing Wednesday.

District parents, staff and school board members met at the hearing to discuss proposed boundary changes if Honey Dew Elementary opens as a kindergarten through fifth grade school next year.

Parents voiced concern as three areas are proposed to be split – meaning the students would go to two different schools. Another parent praised as one school’s problem of too many students was addressed.

Liberty Ridge, downtown Renton and the Plum Tree Park Apartments behind the Fred Meyer in downtown, are all areas that don’t sit within a one-mile radius of a school.

Tanita Tullis is a homeowner in the Liberty Ridge community, which is off Northeast Third Street in the south Highlands. She transports her children to the West Hill’s Campbell Hill Elementary School. She won’t consider letting them go to another school because they’ve already started at Campbell, but she sees the concern of her neighbors. She attended the public hearing to get more information.

“I know that there are some homeowners there who are concerned because they are dividing the community and a lot of the kids do things and interact. We interact as a community,” Tullis said. “So, I see the concern with regard to that.”

Renton resident Dallin Slaugh shared the same opinion as Tullis; he addressed the board. Although he doesn’t live in the Liberty Ridge area, he has children in the Renton school system and felt compelled to comment.

“The Boundary Review Committee did a great job and perhaps too good of a job,” he said in an interview. “And perhaps they should back off of their goal of getting 90 percent capacity in each school and not split up some of the neighborhoods such as Liberty Ridge.”

The school district’s goal is to have the population of each elementary school at 90 percent of actual capacity. This leaves a little room for growth from year to year. And the district is growing by about 100 students overall a year.

One of the first things the district does when looking at boundaries is to draw a one-mile radius around each elementary school. That is so students can walk to school. The rest are transported by bus to the school. Honey Dew is a walking school only.

In a densely populated area like Renton, it’s hard to draw a circle around the school and there are some areas where houses and complete housing developments are outside of that radius, said Randy Matheson, district spokesperson.

“It’s difficult work and we can’t accommodate everybody to a true neighborhood school,” he said. “And I think that’s true for every district in the Puget Sound area because every district has this same problem.”

Satoru Ozeki is pleased his local, overcrowded elementary school is finally getting some attention. His son attends Highlands Elementary School that is 92 students over the 90 percent capacity level. Highlands’ enrollment in October was 670 students.

“So now my neighborhood kids, all of them go to every different school,” Ozeki said naming them off. “It’s tough for the kids, I think, but also as a parent, as a neighbor. It’s not a neighborhood school anymore.”

Ozeki addressed the School Board. He said it was sad to learn at the bus stop every year of neighborhood kids being redirected to other elementary schools because of Highlands capacity issues.

“When there’s a PTA event or something and you try to give support, you go to your neighbors and say ‘Hey, let’s show up and. you know, show our support, but oh yeah, your kid goes to Maplewood’,” he said.

The Boundary Review Committee wanted to provide recommendations to the School Board in the event Honey Dew is opened next year. The boundary changes would only affect the elementary schools. But, they would trigger changes to eight elementary schools – Bryn Mawr, Campbell Hill, Lakeridge, Hazelwood, Highlands, Kennydale, Maplewood Heights and Sierra Heights.

The opening of Honey Dew is dependent on School Board approval and funding from the state.

Matheson said the district anticipates a cost of $1.5 million to get the school up and running. About $600,000 was put away in the last school year budget just to be ready. About $900,000 will have to be raised this year if the school is to open. Matheson said that’s a big consideration in the wake of failed initiatives like the candy and bottled-water tax that were to fund public education.

“So we’re trying to brace for a budget cut and at the same time try to plan for the future of the district as well,” he said. “It’s difficult.”

The Renton School District Board of Directors will be presented with the boundary changes proposal at its Dec. 8 meeting. This coming spring the board will decide whether to open Honey Dew as a K-5 elementary school.