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200 tell BoE, ‘Make better plans’Tue, 12/04/2007 - 4:52pm
By: John Thompson
Both proposed options to shift hundreds of elementary school students into different schools need more adjustments, most folks said to the Fayette County Board of Education. Bearing signs and wearing colorful shirts, nearly 200 residents turned out Monday night at the McIntosh High School Auditorium in Peachtree City to voice their opinions on proposed new elementary school attendance lines. Monday’s meeting was the first chance for parents to speak, after a committee spent nearly eight months working on attendance lines to accommodate two new schools that will come online in 2008 and 2009. Both plans offered by the committee shift at least 1,700 students next year, the biggest movement in the school system’s history. One of the biggest issues discussed was the possible closure of East Fayette Elementary and the impact on Fayetteville’s schools. If the school is closed, East Fayette’s students will be moved to Spring Hill, Minter and the new school in Inman. Because of the influx of the students, many of the students at Minter and Spring Hill would be moved to new schools. “Minter will be decimated,” said Ellen Kirkus. Under the school system’s plans, Minter could lose 60 percent of its current students, while Spring Hill could lose 50 percent. The total number of students moved under Option A, which closes East Fayette, is 2,424 or 27 percent of the elementary school population. Under Option B, which keeps the school open, 1,705 students, or 19 percent would be moved. “Gwinnett County is moving 23,000 students, but that’s only 15 percent of their school populations,” said Mary Beth Crumly. Another area of concern was voiced by residents of Georgian Park in Peachtree City. Residents urged the Board of Education to leave the students of the 596-home subdivision at Kedron Elementary, instead of moving them to Crabapple as advocated under Option A. Other Peachtree City concerns came from Huddleston parents. “Just leave the line for Huddleston Elementary the same,” said Darcy Pitts. School board members scribbled copious amounts of notes as speaker after speaker urged the system to do what is best for the students. Jill Bond also asked the system to maintain an agreement with parents. “Let the special permission students stay where they are. We were asked to move from a crowded school (Peachtree City Elementary) to Kedron. Honor your agreement,” she said. Tracy Bergman also said the system needs to keep the taxpayers in mind. “If you’ll look at the consultant hired, you’ll find lawsuits and terminated employment. Why was this committee guided down the path to close East Fayette?” The process started in March when the committee was established to set new lines for Inman Elementary School, which opens next year. The board is also drawing lines for the elementary school on Tillman Road, set to open in 2009. Balancing empty rooms with overcrowded schools is one of the objectives committee members used in redrawing school attendance boundary lines. Other objectives the system presented include the following: • To not build another elementary school for several years and to maintain the new attendance boundaries for at least five years. • To leave capacity in schools serving areas of higher growth rates. • To disrupt as few students as possible with the changed boundaries. After more than two hours of comments, board Chairman Terri Smith closed the meeting. The board will now consider the public’s suggestions and meet on the issue Dec. 11 at the school board meeting at 7 p.m. for a workshop session. The final vote is expected Dec. 17. Three of the five board slots will come before the voters next November. Those slots are currently filled by Smith, Janet Smola and Marion Key. login to post comments |