Columbia County school system administrators presented a revised high school rezoning proposal on Tuesday that could affect high and middle school zones for the 2009-10 school year.
The high schools are being rezoned to prepare for the opening of Grovetown High School on Chamblin Road in 2009.
The revised option, detailed at a public hearing at Greenbrier High School on Tuesday, would rezone the area on William Few Parkway south of Magnolia Drive to Columbia Road from Greenbrier High to Grovetown High. The power lines would serve as the boundary.
Under the original proposal, the William Few Parkway area south of Magnolia Court to Columbia Road was rezoned from Greenbrier to Grovetown High.
"We're trying to keep the neighborhood intact," said Robbie Jarrell, the assistant superintendent of student support.
The new proposal also revamped areas that could be rezoned from Greenbrier Middle to Harlem Middle in 2009.
One option would send pupils who live in the Columbia Road area from Appling-Harlem Road to Louisville Road to Harlem Middle.
A second option would relocate pupils living in the areas north of Interstate 20 to Cobbham Road and north of Cobbham Road west of Ray Owens Road from Greenbrier Middle to Harlem Middle.
"That would take all of Greenbrier Middle School out of Harlem High School," Mr. Jarrell said.
He said the board could approve one or both of these options and that changes resulted from parental input after the first rezoning hearing March 20.
Appling resident Bill Smith, who has a 10th-grader, was happy.
"My son goes to Greenbrier now, and it looks like (he's) zoned for Greenbrier now," he said after studying a map of the zones.
Reach Betsy Gilliland at (706) 868-1222, ext. 113, or betsy.gilliland@augustachronicle.com.
MOVING STUDENTS
School populations would see a big shift with the addition of Grovetown High School. Here are high schools' instructional capacity versus projected enrollments for 2009-10:
| SCHOOL | CAPACITY* | ENROLLMENT (CURRENT ZONES) | ENROLLMENT (NEW ZONES)** |
| Evans | 1,806-1,892 | 2,203 | 1,770 |
| Greenbrier | 1,680-1,760 | 2,162 | 1,535 or 1,565 |
| Grovetown | 1,806-1,892 | 0 | 1,210 or 1,230 |
| Harlem | 1,134-1,188 | 1,355 | 806 or 826 |
| Lakeside | 1,680-1,760 | 1,540 | 1,740 |
* Based on 21-22 students per class
** Depending on which option is approved
Source: Columbia County Board of Education
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Columbia County school board is expected to approve the final rezoning plan at its April 22 meeting.
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