Wednesday, August 1, 2001

Looking to transfer?

Students at overcrowded FCHS have chance to try Sandy Creek

By MONROE ROARK
mroark@TheCitizenNews.com

School system officials are still hopeful that more students will decide to take advantage of a unique transfer opportunity to relieve overcrowding at Fayette County High School, but the response has been light so far.

The Board of Education decided in May to give Fayette County High students the option of transferring to Sandy Creek High, which is below its core capacity, if they wish. Fayette County High is extremely crowded and expects to become more so in the next year or two, since there will be no redistricting before the 2001-02 school year begins Aug. 10.

A letter was sent June 20 to parents of Fayette County High students outlining the possibilities.

"We've heard from a few [students], but not many," said Larry Reeves, the school system's pupil personnel director.

While there is no deadline mentioned in the letter, Reeves suggests that time is short, since the school year starts next week.

"If anyone were planning to [transfer], they should do it before the 10th," he said. "We have to deal with transportation plans and other issues. The earlier, the better."

Students wishing to transfer must fill out official request forms and return them to Reeves' office. The school system plans to process these requests as quickly as possible, he said.

School board policy typically dictates that a transfer student provide his or her own transportation to the new school, but in this case, students would be transported by bus from Fayette County High to Sandy Creek. Students with their own transportation would be allowed to drive straight to Sandy Creek.

Another area of concern is participation in extracurricular activities governed by the Georgia High School Association. According to the letter, the GHSA's "Migratory Rule" states that a student transferring from one GHSA school to another without a corresponding move by parents or guardian into the new school's district is declared a "migrant student" and must wait one year to be eligible for athletics or other GHSA-sanctioned competition.

"A migrant student may practice with the varsity, but may not play in varsity competition," the letter reads. "They would be eligible after one year from enrollment."

Migrant students are eligible for sub-varsity teams, such as ninth-grade and junior varsity. All students entering ninth grade for the first time are exempt from this rule and are eligible to participate in all varsity competitions.

A new high school is to be open in two or three years in Fayette County, at which time district lines will be redrawn and any transferring students would attend the schools in their districts. A student who has attained senior status when redistricting takes place would be allowed to remain at Sandy Creek or attend the school serving his or her district.

In the meantime, school officials await the decisions of other potential transfers who might be looking for a new opportunity at a new school and help relieve overcrowding in the process.

"We'll see what happens," said Reeves.