The future is again on the horizon for the South Whidbey School District.

District administrators and the school board will meet with parents and community members next week to discuss facility usage and programming for 2017 and beyond. The future planning meeting is set for 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 21 in the South Whidbey High School commons and is one of four scheduled over the next five months. Parents and community members will have the opportunity to voice their opinions on how they feel the district should address its limited budget due to declining enrollment since 2000, which nets less money from the state. Future meetings are scheduled for Oct. 19, Dec. 7 and Jan. 18.

The topic was first discussed in May when over 100 people from the community gathered in the commons. Parents and community members asked varied questions that ranged in topic from whether Langley Middle School could be consolidated to what the cause of enrollment decline is and if facility costs could be cut to save or increase programming.

A summary of the questions and answers to the May 18 community conversation are available on the district’s website at http://www.sw.wednet.edu/.

The school board will take the input from the community to assist in its decision-making process. The board will deliberate on decisions for facilities in a February 2017 workshop followed by implementation of the changes in March 2017.