Fayette | News

Stung by public anger, schools want to improve method for redrawing attendance lines

Tue, 01/30/2007 - 5:02pm
By: John Thompson

After last fall’s attendance boundaries hearing that left many parents feeling exasperated and left out, the Fayette County School System has decided to do things a little differently this year.

Boundaries will be set this fall for the new elementary school that will open on Ga. Highway 92 and Inman Road in August of 2008. But before the first line is drawn, a new way of communicating information and getting input will be developed.

Assistant Superintendent of Operations Sam Sweat told the Fayette County Board of Education at their retreat Saturday morning that a task force would be established.

“We can do a better job,” Sweat said.

The task force will feature one representative from each of the county’s 17 elementary schools and will offer input to the boundary committee on the new lines.

Still unannounced is whether the individual school representatives will be parents or school system employees or some combination of the two categories.

Sweat said he took responsibility for the controversy that swirled around last year’s decision, but said the school system just didn’t communicate well with the public.

“People thought something behind closed doors was going on with developers. We just didn’t provide enough information on the front end of the process,” he added.

Board member Janet Smola suggested that representatives from the county’s middle and high schools should possibly included in the task force, because of the feeder patterns from the elementary schools to the higher grades.

Sweat said he would look at the idea, but said he didn’t want a task force that was too large and unmanageable.

He estimated the task force would probably be formed in April and start working on boundary lines, so the committee could evaluate all the proposals next fall.

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this free speach quote says it all
Submitted by oldbeachbear on Sat, 02/03/2007 - 12:30pm.

"A blogger commends the personnel of Sandy Creek and FRMS as “the best in Fayette County schools.” Instantly, an analogy between the school staff and British maritime Capt.Smith: who gained a reputation amongst passengers and crew for quiet flamboyance and greatness. Some passengers would only sail the Atlantic with him in command of the newest ships on their maiden voyages. He was last seen on April 11, 1912, on the bridge of the Titanic having given the final order to abandon ship.” Sorry, folks, but our Fayette schools are declining and it is only a matter of time. Thanks to folks like the school board member from Tyrone for no leadership, we are spiraling downward" This person said it all!

All the boundary lines should be scrapped and start over. The lines should be redrawn so that EVERYONE goes to the school nearest them. Not pulled across county for political reasons. If you make all the schools EQUAL and all the PRINCIPALS have the same STANDARDS, and all the children have the same RIGHTS and not give PRIVILEGES to certain groups, we wouldn't have a problem now would we?

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Elementary school opening in 2008?
parent's picture
Submitted by parent on Wed, 01/31/2007 - 3:43pm.

What about all the kids housed in trailers today behind Burch Elementary? How many other elementary schools in the county have a trailer park located on their property?? As far as I know, there are no middle schools with trailers, but they are opening a brand new middle school next year...and worrying about how they are going to fill it up. Send some of the elementary kids from Burch over there! They can fill it up real quick!


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School Lines
All Smiles's picture
Submitted by All Smiles on Tue, 01/30/2007 - 9:40pm.

Why in the world are the kids who live in the apartments on Kedron Drive, pay no property taxes there and presently attend Flat Rock/Sandy Creek, be redistricted to Booth/McIntosh? Booth/McIntosh is either at capacity or over for this year. Next school year both will be over capacity, yet the school in which they attend now is under capacity? I know it is just a handful of kids, maybe 10 middle schoolers and 5 high schoolers. Seems like we are adding to the problem.


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