The Warren County R-III School Board earlier this month approved boundary adjustments to place incoming subdivisions into the territory of Daniel Boone Elementary.

The board voted 5-0 to approve boundary adjustments to account for three proposed new housing areas in Warrenton. R-III Superintendent Gregg Klinginsmith said the district is trying to balance enrollment at the district’s three elementary schools.

“We know Warrior Ridge is extremely full,” Klinginsmith said. “Rebecca Boone has a lot of new housing going into their subdivisions already. So anything new, we want to try to balance through all of our buildings.”

The boundary adjustments are at the site of a future subdivision west of Morgan Street; a large apartment complex at the corner of Hickory Lick Road and North Highway 47; and at the mall in Warrenton, where an apartment proposal was later rejected by city aldermen.

Community member Carolyn Spraggs questioned whether the district had communicated with the city council or subdivision builders to check if they were ok with the boundary adjustments. She said she understands the reasoning for the boundary adjustments, but does not want the district to upset the builders by changing a home or subdivision’s district after the plans are approved.

“As someone new to the area, it’s very easy to be like, ‘We want to be at the new school,’” Spraggs said. “While that’s something that all three of the elementary schools are great, just something to keep in mind so we don’t anger the incoming builders.”

Board member Franci Schwartz questioned how a builder or realtor finds out what elementary school each property is assigned to. She said one of the properties for which the district previously changed the boundary has the wrong elementary school listed on a real estate website.

Klinginsmith said the district has an interactive map that allows individuals to find the elementary school boundary based on the location of the property. The district website is updated after changes to the boundaries are made. Klinginsmith recommended a prospective resident verify which schools are assigned to the property before moving to that residence.

Board member Rich Barton said in his 26 years on Warrenton’s planning and zoning board, a builder has never asked the elementary school boundary lines.

Board member Sarah Janes said she understands individuals moving into or within the district may have strong feelings about elementary schools. She said since she believes all three elementary schools provide students a wonderful education, she is more focused on ensuring there is no overcrowding at any of the three elementary school buildings.

“I do understand the thought of talking with the builder,” Janes said. “But I don’t know if our builders even understand the intricacies or the opinions of the different elementaries. Because that is more of something that you would possibly gain opinions of by living here already.”

Board member Ginger Schenck said it is important to change the boundaries before families move into the new homes.

“When people decide to buy a home or rent an apartment in one of these (areas) that we have redistricted, they’ll know that before they’ve committed to that area,” Schenck said. “For me, that was a bigger priority, to do that prior to people moving there.”