 Mon, Sep 08, 2008 05:01 AM
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2008-05-08  JOHNS CREEK HERALD | Johns Creek residents mull redistricting choices
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| | by Candy Waylock | |  |
May 16, 2008
JOHNS CREEK - An unprecedented four maps have been drawn up showing proposed attendance lines for two high schools in North Fulton that will shift with the opening of the new high school in Johns Creek in August 2009.
In past redistricting, staff brought three proposals back to the community before settling on a final proposal. The complexity of setting zones in a densely populated area, along with many large subdivisions and neighborhood alliances, made a fourth map a necessity, noted school officials. This could make the process of getting down to one map a challenge for staff members
"We usually have three maps, but we wanted to get all the ideas and options out there [for community review]," noted Patrick Burke, chief facilities officer for Fulton Schools, during a community meeting last week.
At the May 5 meeting at Autrey Mill Middle School, more than 300 area residents turned out to see the first batch of proposed attendance lines for Chattahoochee, Northview and the new Johns Creek high school for the 2008-2009 school year.
The maps were drawn up following the comments received by residents at the first meeting in April. Burke said every comment and suggestion received was considered taking up more than 11 pages of notes - although not every one was incorporated.
"We tried to use input we gathered, but as you can see we haven't met all the [suggestions]," said Burke, who has been the chief planner for Fulton Schools for a decade. "Staff has to balance all things."
During last week's meeting, residents again broke into small working groups to discuss the pros and cons of each of the four proposals.
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Burke said the school system staff is now in the process of taking those new comments and suggestions as they work towards one map to be presented to the Fulton County Board of Education for final approval. The community will have a final chance to present comments to the staff at the third community meeting on May 20.
"After May 20, staff participation on the attendance lines will be done and [the map] will go to the school board for further action," explained Burke. "It's scheduled to be considered by the board in June, with final action in September."
That schedule gives the community the entire summer to lobby for further changes to the attendance lines, although historically, board members have made only minor modifications to the staff recommendations.
New attendance lines are only affecting Northview, Chattahoochee and the Johns Creek site in the current redistricting. The other high schools in North Fulton will undergo redistricting in three years when the high school on Freemanville Road in Milton opens in 2012.
"We are leaving some overcrowding in some area high schools in anticipation of 2012, when it will be addressed," said Burke, who said redistricting for the Freemanville high school will begin in the spring of 2011.
The new high school site in Johns Creek opens 2009 August on a 70-acre site at the corner of State Bridge Road and Medlock Bridge. Its location, just a few miles from Chattahoochee and Northview high schools, presents difficult decisions in setting the school boundaries.
In many instances school boundaries must be to the north and west of the school location to draw in students, as opposed to being at the center of the attendance zone.
In determining boundaries, staff works from a set of criteria established by the Fulton School Board. There are primary criteria for attendance lines, then secondary criteria if needed.
The main consideration is geographic proximity to the school. However, in the current circumstance, that would put fewer than 1,000 students at the new school, said Burke.
"We can't just send the closest kids to the [new high school]; we've got to go further north to make the numbers work."
So tough decisions must be made to maintain an attendance balance at the three schools.
For instance, sprawling St. Ives Country Club subdivision is zoned for the new school on two proposals, even though it borders Northview High along one entrance to the subdivision. This is the case at several neighborhoods, including subdivisions along Kimball Bridge Road and Parsons Road, meaning a vast number of kids may attend a high school that is actually further away from their closest high school.
The four proposed maps and the list of criteria are available at fultonschools.org/redistricting. Residents unable to attend either of the first two community meetings are encouraged to send their comments to Burke via e-mail.
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About the new North Fulton high school site
Name To be determined
Principal Buck Greene, former principal at Alpharetta High School
Opening August 2009
Capacity 1,850
What's next?
Round Three - May 20
Community members review and provide input on revised attendance zone alternatives in small-group discussions.
Staff uses comments to develop final attendance zone options for Board consideration.
The Fulton County Board of Education is scheduled to review the new attendance zone proposal in June 2008. Final action is planned for September 2008. Changes in the attendance zones will go into effect in August 2009 with the opening of the new high school.
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