Cyndi Loza

Worried parents told a school district committee Wednesday that they don’t want to have to send their children to different schools to solve crowding problems.

The northwest area of Reno is under review for redistricting, affecting elementary schools Elmcrest, Melton, Peavine, Sierra Vista, Towles, Verdi, Warner, Westergard and Winnemucca.

Reno resident Jay Eck, 47, said he had conflicting feelings on the plan.

“I’m not too happy about being shifted around, but I realize rezoning is necessary sometimes,” said Eck, whose second-grade daughter at Melton might move to Towles.

The Elementary Rezoning Committee met at Billinghurst Middle School to answer questions and review with parents current boundaries of all elementary schools in the Washoe County School District Four parents attended.

“I’m very proud of this particular step in the process,” said Lisa Noonan, superintendent of elementary education. “This whole event is about stopping and listening. It’s a very intentional pause in the process.”

No decisions were made. The committee plans to meet again Feb. 27.

When Alicia Sabers was looking to buy a house, she said she settled for a home near Melton for her son and daughter. But now that her children might be rezoned to Towles, she wished she hadn’t.

“If I would have known there was a rezoning, I wouldn’t have bought my house,” said Sabers, 34, of Reno. “They’re both very shy to begin with and now they’re going to be there a year and leave.”

Some students can avoid being rezoned, said Dave Christiansen, senior director of elementary education. For example, in the current proposal a fifth-grader has the option of finishing their last year at their elementary school.

“Rezoning, as we work, though it is very emotional and I think the staff and community member have tried to move students as little as possible,” said Christiansen said. “But at the same time we owe it to our community to use our facilities to the utmost ability.”

This initiative is part of a district wide proposal to help crowded schools accommodate 11,000 new students in the coming decade.

The seven-year plan will affect elementary through high schools to make the most of capacity at each campus.

In the past, the committee has made recommendations to move 1,500 students to neighboring schools.

Incline, Natchez and Johnson are the only elementary schools in the district that will not be rezoned.