HISD Board of Education Trustee Rhonda Skillern-Jones and various administrators addressed dozens of parents at a public meeting at Kashmere High School Tuesday on the proposed changes to school attendance zones to prepare for the North Forest transition. The school zone changes would impact Kashmere High School as well as Key Middle School and Cook, Kashmere Gardens, McGowen and Paige elementary schools.

“The purpose of these changes is to best accommodate the North Forest students during this transition,” HISD School Services Officer Lupita Hinojosa said. “We want to ensure the parents have options to help them find a school that meets the needs of their children.”

Administrators assured parents that when North Forest joins HISD on July 1, families will have equal access to the district’s diverse school choice portfolio, which includes more than 100 magnet programs. The students will also be eligible for transportation if they live more than two miles away from their neighborhood school or attend one of HISD’s magnet programs.

HISD administrators also addressed questions regarding class sizes and sports, and introduced the new principals for the North Forest campuses.
Parents of children already attending the campuses impacted by the proposed zone changes will have the option to enroll their children at the new zoned campuses, remain at their current campus or apply for a transfer. The HISD Board of Education will be voting on the proposed attendance zone changes on July 18.

The next two meetings will be on the upcoming North Forest annexation are scheduled for June 25 and 27 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Eden Event Center,7540 N. Wayside.