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" Involuntary Lottery, Young Children. It is that simple. If it were such a good idea, there would be enough volunteers. "

" is this kindergardener not capable of walking across a street and 2 houses down to get home alone? do the kids really have any involvment with each other durring school hours? you got the right to complain but lets here a logical complaint rahter than reaching for anything you can complain about. "

" i believe in any situation we are given the opportunity to make the best or worst out of it, no one likes change and wants to except it willingly, but the outcome is always much better if you take it on positively. "

" one of the many complaints is the fact of living close to the school and watching the kids walk to and from school or as in this article siblings walking with each other. please correct me if i am wrong. don't the bus pick up/drop off the kids on the shuttle bus at JP? can they not still walk back and forth to school, together? as far as a little inconvenience, i think we all experience it at some point. fact is i have a JP student, gets out at 3:05 and a Jr high student, who gets off the bus at 3:30. now that's nearly 20 minutes i have to wait between picking up kids when i would much rather get them all at the same time and head home. to think if life was simple i could pick them up and be back home by 3:15, however it is not until 3:45. however i try to make the best of it, we have 20 minutes to spend together alone, we got some time to talk one on one or play at the park together. "

" Why not ask the kids if they want to go instead of drawing names? Wouldn't that make more sense? "

" If shifting students is such a great thing there should've been plenty of volunteers and there would be no reason for drawing names out of a hat. Hope all that think this is a great system are willing to sign up! Maybe they should start sign ups for next year now and see how popular this is going to be. "

" With a fist in air. I say NO BUSSING "

" The board made a bad decision in giving administrators the right to move children involuntarily and against parents consent. As parents, our ONLY alternative was to call board members or attend meetings to make sure this wasn't going to happen year after year. I’m sorry if the board members are tired of trying to defend their decision. I’m wondering if they really understood the fact they cut 2 sections out of JP (3rd grade and kindergarten) when they voted on this. You are mistaken if you think it’s just a handful of parents arguing out against this at those meetings, it’s like YOU said, just because not all of us show up to the meetings to voice it, doesn't mean we are "OK" with this happening in the future. I hope they continue to go to each and every board meeting till a better solution is found, otherwise the board would assume parents are fine with it. The parents that did not volunteer HAVE to be OK with it for their kid’s sake this year, but in the same breath say they want their kids back in El Paso next year. "

" Consolidation has been talked about in El Paso for twenty years, so buying a house close to the school never guaranteed that your kid would actually attend school there. However, don't your kids still walk to the school to get on and off the shuttle? Isn't it still a plus? If your kids are split during the school day can't they still walk to and from together? I'm confused by this concept? Do your kids really care about being in the same school building as their other siblings? Do they even have lunch, recess or anything together during the day? If they did would they actually acknowledge each other on the play ground? Regarding a shuttle bus--ask any kid what their favorite part of a field trip is they will probably say--the bus ride! Ask your kids these same questions--you'll be supprised at the response! "

" Everyone wants a solution--however will you be happy with the solution? If it comes down to attendance centers will you be willing to send your child to the designated town for their grade? Sibling will still be split? They will still ride a bus? Will your attitudes change? I'm just curious what you trully want? There is alot of give and take in life and this is something that you'll eventually have to give a little on to make a consolidated district work. I'm a EP alumni and extemely proud of it--however, way back when... our school talked of having to consolidate someday soon. Here we are and I can't think of a better town to join up with than Gridley. Have you met some of the people over there? We can work through the petty details with a willing and open heart to change and I guarentee our children will benefit if we handle it in a positive manner. I'm now a proud parent to have kids in EPG! Adapt to change--you'll only grow through it! "

" Have you talked to any of the students that are shifting? Do so, you'll learn from them. Our attitudes changed when we saw our son embrace the opportunity. We haven't regreted volunteering and this week has been the best. Infact, he's already asked if he can stay next year. Yes, I would like to see a solid solution too, however the schoool board and administrators can't work through this if they have to listen to the same comments over and over again at every board meeting. Just because you are there doesnt' mean you are the only ones who care. Let them work! They are sacrificing time away from their families to accomplish something. You've beat the horse dead--let it rest! And let them work! Do you work well with someone breathing down your neck and analysing everything said and done? "

" Do Not Count on the state reimbursing the district for transportation costs. You will end up eating the costs...but then you have every right to believe Bill James. "

" Get over it, it's seven miles away. "

" What not put ALL the 6th grade students in the "vacant" Gridley high school so that El Paso has room for their younger students to stay local. Busing 13 students on a single bus sounds like a waste of resources to me. And we are counting on State money? Yeah, like it is flooding in the door!!! They can't even get a good budget without raising our Governor and Legislator's salaries....and cutting education so that he can give more money to Cook County!!! "

" Go Figure... you need to focus more on the future.. yes, 375 will be missed, but don't you think Gridley feels the same. we have to look at our childrens future not our past and work for the best of this situation. In the "future" our children will look back and say things weren't as bad as we parents made them. read the article above. parents are already saying they are fine with it now and the 1st week of school just finished. think of the future..... "

" The school board thinks everything is OK now,,,,What do they expect us to do or say they have already done the damage and made their decisions,,,So guess what they are going to leave it the way it is now and in the future and continue to do what they want!!!! Welcome to the NEW Unit 11,,,,,Farewell Unit 375 you are missed "