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REBALANCING

District Rebalancing

Understanding Rebalancing

As our community continues to grow and change, our schools must adapt to make sure every student has access to high-quality learning environments. Rebalancing is the process of adjusting school attendance boundaries to keep class sizes manageable, make the best use of our facilities, and support equitable access to programs and opportunities across the district.

The opening of Willow Creek Middle School is an opportunity to improve balance, capacity, and long-term growth management across the district. NACS will move through this process with clear information, opportunities for feedback, and involvement from families and staff before any recommendation is finalized.

We recognize that boundary changes can be stressful for students and families, and we will offer transition support, orientation opportunities, and school visits to help students feel confident and connected before the new school year begins. We also understand that friendships, social networks, and peer groups are important to students at this age. Students are resilient, and we will work to support them through this transition so they feel welcomed and connected in their new school environment.

  • Northwest Allen County Schools will open Willow Creek Middle School in Fall 2026. With the addition of the district’s third middle school, attendance boundaries for Carroll Middle School, Maple Creek Middle School, and Willow Creek Middle School must be redrawn.

    The goal of this rebalancing is to:

    • Maintain equitable enrollment and class sizes,
       
    • Support high-quality instruction in every building,
       
    • Provide long-term sustainability as the district continues to grow.

    Schools will not open with identical enrollment totals. This is intentional. Because residential growth is occurring at different rates across the district, one or more schools may open with lower enrollment so they can absorb projected increases in the coming years. This prevents overcrowding and reduces the need for future boundary changes.

    There is a slight possibility that minor elementary boundary adjustments could be considered if needed to improve transportation routing or operational efficiency. If that circumstance arises, any proposed adjustment would be small, clearly communicated, and shared with families for feedback before any recommendation is made

  • Northwest Allen County Schools is committed to a process that reflects:

     

    • Balanced enrollment and class sizes
    • Planning for future growth and capacity
    • Preservation of feeder patterns when possible
    • Safe, efficient transportation routes
    • Meaningful community input and feedback

  • An infographic outlines a school district's planning process, with steps and timelines.

  • Northwest Allen County Schools will maintain open and consistent communication through:

    • NACS News, district website, and social media updates
    • Boundary maps and projected enrollment figures posted publicly
    • Online family survey for feedback on proposed options
    • Building-level updates for staff with talking points for principals
    • Online FAQ addressing common questions and timelines
    • Dedicated webpage with FAQs, boundary maps, and a timeline of next step

    • Clear maps and projected enrollment numbers for each boundary option
    • Explanation of how growth and capacity shape the proposals
    • Opportunity to provide feedback before decisions are finalized
    • Transparency and regular updates throughout the process

     

    • Balanced and sustainable enrollment across all three middle schools
    • Schools intentionally opening at different enrollment levels to accommodate future neighborhood growth
    • Stable feeder patterns and long-term planning confidence
    • Efficient transportation routing
    • A final decision informed by community input

Our Middle Schools

School Boundary Options Coming Soon!

The school boundary options will be shared with families on December 09, 2025.

Share your thoughts

The School Boundary Survey will be open to families from December 09, 2025 until January 05, 2026.

We value your input. Families are invited to review the proposed boundary options and share feedback before final decisions are made. The link to the survey will be shared in ParentSquare to ensure that only families of NACS can participate. Your feedback will help ensure that the final plan reflects the needs and priorities of our community. Survey result data will be shared publicly on this page. Names and emails will be excluded for privacy purposes.

See the full Rebalancing Plan here.

FAQ's

  • With the opening of Willow Creek Middle School in Fall 2026, the district is rebalancing boundaries to ensure equitable enrollment, balanced class sizes, and long-term capacity planning across all three middle schools.

  • Because neighborhoods grow at different rates, the three schools will not open with identical enrollment totals. This is intentional and allows us to absorb expected growth while avoiding overcrowding and minimizing future boundary changes.

  • Detailed maps showing each boundary option will be available starting December 9, 2025 on our Rebalancing Webpage.

  • Changes depend on where students live relative to the new boundaries. Families can review all proposed options starting December 9 to see if any would impact their child.

  • Elementary boundaries are generally not affected. Minor adjustments may be considered only if needed to improve transportation efficiency, and families would be informed and consulted before any changes are made.

  • Families will receive a ParentSquare post on December 9, 2025 with the proposed boundary options and a link to a Google Form survey. The survey will be open to NACS families from December 9, 2025 through January 5, 2026.

  • Each parent/guardian will have the opportunity to complete the survey once. They will need to provide a valid email address.

  • No. Each respondent will need to provide a valid email address. This helps ensure that only NACS parents and guardians participate and prevents multiple submissions from the same person. While your email may be used internally for verification purposes, email addresses and any personally identifying information you share in open responses will not be shared publicly.

  • The NACS administration will review all boundary options, enrollment data, neighborhood growth projections, transportation considerations, and family survey feedback. Based on this information, the administration will present a recommendation to the School Board. The School Board has final approval and will make the official decision regarding the new boundaries.

  • The final decision will go to the school board for approval on January 12, 2026. The meeting is open to the public and livestreamed on YouTube. Families will also get a notification of the school board’s decision.

  • NACS will offer orientation sessions, school tours, welcome events, and additional transition supports, including tailored resources for students with IEPs

  • Boundary adjustments may impact bus routes. Families will receive updated transportation information before the 2026–2027 school year. The district is committed to safe and efficient routes for all students.

  • Elementary boundaries are generally not affected. Minor adjustments may be considered only if needed to improve transportation efficiency, and families would be informed and consulted before any changes are made.