SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO : District to Weigh Boundary Changes

The Capistrano Unified School District board is scheduled today to consider attendance boundary changes and other ways to help ease overcrowding at Arroyo Vista, San Juan and Truman Benedict elementary schools.

Each campus has more than 1,000 students, which is roughly 300 more than most other elementary schools in the rapidly growing South County school district.

Although the school district opened five new elementary schools last fall, enrollment continues to surge and growth projections are forcing officials to consider the boundary changes and other options, district spokeswoman Jacqueline Price said.

One possibility is adding a sixth grade to Marco Forster Middle School, Price said. The move would siphon off students from San Juan Elementary School, which has 1,148 students, according to district figures.

Meanwhile, proposed boundary changes would help reduce enrollment populations at Arroyo Vista and Truman Benedict elementary schools.

Arroyo Vista Elementary in Rancho Santa Margarita has 1,069 students, while Truman Benedict Elementary in San Clemente has 1,035 students.

The two schools are in areas where growth, fueled by the construction of new homes, is expected in the next two to three years, according to district officials.

More than 1,300 families that might be affected by boundary changes and other moves have been notified, Price said.