Northwest ISD families gathered on October 20 at an attendance‑rezoning meeting held in the Eaton High School auditorium to discuss a draft boundary plan that would take effect when Davis High School opens next school year. The proposed changes aim to relieve overcrowding at the district’s three existing high schools, each projected to exceed its 3,200‑student capacity, but many parents worry the plan will again separate friends and disrupt daily routines.
Student friendships and extracurricular stability
For 8‑year‑old Natalie Hultquist, the prospect of another rezoning feels like a repeat of last year’s middle‑school boundary shift that moved many of her friends from Chisholm Trail to Pike Middle School. “It was more difficult already losing so many friends,” Natalie said, adding that she now knows only two peers who will attend Eaton.
Other families echoed similar concerns. Misty Kleman, whose son is a freshman athlete at Northwest High School and whose daughter is an 8th‑grader at Chisholm Trail, noted that the draft lines would send her children to two different high schools. “My daughter’s class passes that test, yet still never stays together,” she told district officials, highlighting the district’s stated goal of avoiding multiple rezoning moves during a student’s high‑school years.
Transportation and safety worries
Parents also raised safety concerns about increased travel on U.S. Route 287. “Now we have a safe passage on a back road to Northwest High School,” Kleman said. “Moving us to Eaton, we don’t have that.” Similarly, Bridgeview resident Celia Weithorn, who lives about three miles from Eaton, estimated a 10‑minute commute to her current school but warned that a move to Davis could extend the drive to 30 minutes, creating a daily burden for her household.
District rationale and projected enrollment
Superintendent Mark Foust explained that the boundary lines were drawn using enrollment projections, current population densities and long‑term growth forecasts. Without Davis, Eaton is projected to enroll nearly 3,400 students next year, while Northwest and Byron Nelson would each host more than 3,100. Davis is expected to start with roughly 996 freshmen and sophomores, adding one grade each subsequent year.
Foust emphasized that the district cannot wait for road improvements, noting that “the roads are 10 years behind, and we cannot keep our buses or our kids off of those arterial roads.” He also stressed that Davis needs a sufficient student body to support academic, athletic and extracurricular programs. “If too many students stay at their current schools, Davis can’t offer the same experiences as other high schools,” he said.
Policy details and potential flexibility
Students entering sophomore, junior or senior years who are rezoned may remain at their current high school if they maintain good attendance and behavior, though transportation would not be provided. Exceptions to the Davis attendance requirement include students in specialized programs, staff transfers and rising juniors with a sibling remaining at the existing school.
At the meeting, several parents asked why students already assigned to existing high schools could stay, while those assigned to Davis could not. Lindsey Dunkel, a Haslet resident with a freshman cheerleader at Eaton, questioned the fairness of the policy, saying, “Many of these students have already built relationships, begun participating in school programs and have established themselves at the Eaton Eagles.”
Next steps and community input
The board will vote on the final boundaries on November 9, and the district hopes to notify families of any adjustments by November 2. District spokesperson Anthony Tosie said Northwest ISD is reviewing community feedback and will reach out directly to affected neighborhoods for additional input.
Foust hinted that the board might consider delaying rezoning for certain peripheral areas, stating, “There may be a couple of areas in the perimeter of the district, not in the center where the population density is, where we might delay a move.” Parents like Alyssa Hultquist, Natalie’s mother, appreciate that officials are listening but urge the district to consider the cumulative impact of multiple rezoning cycles on the same students.
As Davis High School prepares to open, the district faces the challenge of balancing capacity needs with the desire for stability, safety and community cohesion for the families it serves.
Original reporting: Fort Worth Report — read the source article.
