Update 12/07/16 at 1:35 p.m.

There are 5 meetings remaining:

Wednesday, Dec. 7 (6-7 p.m.)

• Kelly Lane Middle School (18900 Falcon Pointe Boulevard, Pflugerville)

Thursday, Dec. 8 (6-7 p.m.)

• Rowe Lane Elementary (3112 Speidel Drive, Pflugerville)

Wednesday, Jan. 4 (6-7 p.m.)

• Park Crest Middle School (1500 North Railroad Avenue, Pflugerville)

Thursday, Jan. 5 (6-7 p.m.)

• Highland Park Elementary (428 Kingston Lacy Boulevard, Pflugerville)

Tuesday, Jan. 10 (6:30-7:30 p.m.)

• PfISD Administration Building (1401 West Pecan Street, Pflugerville)

More than 100 concerned parents and students were present at the Hendrickson High School Performing Arts Center last night for the first PfISD meeting regarding boundary changes.

With the expected opening of Weiss High School and Mott Elementary next fall, PfISD has to redraw the district zoning map to fill the new schools. The district hosted the meeting to get feedback from families. District officials will present the information to the PfISD Board of Trustees before they vote on the boundaries, according to PfISD Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Education Dr. Susanna Russell.

Parents of current and future high school students spoke out with concern that academic programs in place at Hendrickson High School will not be available to students at Weiss High School, because junior and senior level courses and programs will not be available to the freshman and sophomore students attending Weiss High School. Additionally, parents of prospective Weiss High School students expressed concern over the lack of varsity level sports, band and other UIL activities.

“I don’t think they understand that they are sacrificing a lot of these kids’ futures just for a new school,” said Lea Sapielak, parent of a Cele Middle School student. “How many kids' futures are you sacrificing by taking them into a high school without AVID, without R.O.T.C., without [varsity] sports? What scholarships are they going to miss out on?”

With the current plan, PfISD will not be accepting transfers for students to stay on their current school track.

Parents of middle school students spoke out about the proposed boundaries with concern that their students who are currently attending or slated to attend Kelly Lane Middle School will be moved to a lower-performing Park Crest Middle School. And parents of elementary students spoke to concerns of disrupting their students education as they have put down roots in their current schools, made friends and built relationships with administration.

Across the board, parents exhibited frustration with aspects of the proposed boundaries that made little sense to them. Some parents questioned why they are slated for Cele Middle School and Weiss High School, when they actually live closer to Kelly Lane Middle School and Hendrickson High School. While the district said  natural boundaries were considered with determining the proposed boundary lines, parents gave examples of the boundaries cutting streets and even homes in half, splitting those areas between two different schools.

While discussion from parents at times became heated, Russell fielded their questions and assured parents that their concerns and suggestions would be relayed to the Board of Trustees to consider. When one parent complained that her emails sent to the posted email address on the PfISD proposed boundary website went unanswered, Russell gave her email address to the audience so they could communicate their concerns to her directly. After the meeting concluded, parents filled out comment forms and discussed issues one-on-one with district administrators who stayed until those who wished to speak with them had done so.