Lake Forest North residents moved to North High feeder pattern
by JESSICA L. FINCH Associate Editor

The Lake Forest North subdivision has been in the Forest Elementary-Mill Middle-South High feeder pattern since 2003, but that will not be the case next year.

At its Jan. 8 meeting, the Williamsville Central School Board approved a recommendation by Superintendent Howard S. Smith that would have residents of the subdivision attending Heim Elementary, Heim Middle and North High schools.

Trustee Camille Eichorn had suggested the board review the anomaly and recommended that the subdivision be moved into the North feeder pattern.

Smith said the district would notify the families affected. A family can request that a child be allowed to complete a level of instruction before changing to the North feeder pattern.

For example a seventh-grader could complete middle school at Mill and then switch after the eighth grade to North.

Smith's recommendation stated that regardless of the feeder pattern chosen, transportation would be provided.

"We are taking a personal approach," Smith said about notifying the affected families.

There are approximately 45 school-age children in the subdivision.

When the subdivision was built, the district moved those residents to the South feeder pattern due to concern about overcrowding at North. Based on enrollment projections, the student population at the schools in the North feeder pattern are expected to drop during the next five years.

Currently, the streets bordering the subdivision are in the North feeder pattern.

The board also approved the recommendation from Smith to close open enrollment for Mill Middle School. Smith said very few families would be affected.

"We are close to capacity," he said.

Schools open for enrollment are Forest Elementary, Heim Middle, Casey Middle, East High and South High.

The deadline for open enrollment at Williamsville Central is Feb. 1.