When all is said and done, more than 2,500 students will be changing schools next fall.

The Coweta County Board of Education unanimously approved new boundary maps Tuesday for nearly all the county’s elementary and middle school students. But the board did decide a week to set boundaries for Ruth Hill, Western, Thomas Crossroads and Willis Road elementary schools after hearing more information from parents in the school districts.

The vote Tuesday was the climax of a four-month process that involved parent committees and had the school system drawing maps for its biggest redistricting in years.

Tuesday’s meeting saw several parents approach the board and ask for considerations in changing some of the lines.

Patty Hall, who lives on George Coggin Road, questioned why her area was being singled out by the board.

“We’re the only road on our side of Hwy.154 that’s being redistricted. We should be left at Thomas Crossroads. We’re so far from White Oak,’ she said.

The board sympathized with the parents’ plight, but said this was not something that they wanted to do.

“I know exactly how you feel, but this is not our choice,” said board member Sue Brown.

Because of the explosive growth in the area, Coweta county is opening two new schools next year. The county is also facing a Department of Justice ruling from 1969 that keeps a very close eye on the racial makeup of each of the county’s schools.

“We’ve got 1,400 students going into the new schools, plus the students who will be moving next year. We’ll actually be moving close to 2,500 students,” said school spokesperson Dean Jackson.

Parents who have children in the schools that will be considered for redistricting next week have until noon Tuesday to make their feelings known to the board members.

The board meets at 6:30 p.m. at their headquarters on Jackson Street to consider the final maps for the four affected schools.

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