Bel Aire city council chooses Wichita Public Schools

On Sept. 18, the Bel Aire City Council approved a proposal to change its school district boundaries, bringing the city limits into the Wichita Public Schools district. Bel Aire is currently split between the Wichita Public Schools district and the Circle school district. The Bel Aire City council passed a resolution to create a one-district community, with Wichita Public Schools serving that community.

“We are extremely pleased that the Bel Aire City Council and the Mayor made the decision to go with us,” said Superintendent Winston Brooks. “That says a lot about the confidence they have in our district and the services we can provide to their community.”

More than a year ago, Bel Aire invited the Wichita Public Schools to make a proposal on how Wichita could serve them.

“They told us they wanted their city in one school district to promote community identity and pride,” Superintendent Brooks said. “They came to us. We are not in business of gobbling up other districts.”

At the Wichita Board of Education meeting on Monday, the BOE will discuss whether to submit a formal request for this land transfer to the Circle Board of Education.

Currently, the Bel Aire land in question has no development, so there are no current students who would be affected. In order to alleviate any concerns from current parents, the Wichita Public School District is willing to enter into an agreement with the City of Bel Aire and the Circle Public Schools that would guarantee continuation of special transfer status to any Circle resident who currently attends school in the Wichita district, or to any Bel Aire resident who attends school in the Circle district. This would apply to future siblings of current students as well.



September 19, 2007