What would "make sense" ain't necessarily what will happen. When I moved to Columbia County, there was an elementary school 1.1 miles from my house, yet my kids were sent to a school 4.1 miles away due to "pocket rezoning."
Some rising ninth-graders in the Columbia County school system might get rezoned to another high school a year ahead of schedule.
School board members have said they plan to hold public hearings and finalize a complete high school rezoning plan this spring as they prepare for the 2009 opening of Grovetown High School on Chamblin Road.
Superintendent Charles Nagle said he intends to seek final approval at Tuesday's board meeting for a proposed rezoning of "pocket" areas for the 2008-09 school year.
This rezoning would shift some rising ninth-graders away from schools in which they are now zoned to the high schools they likely will attend once a more comprehensive rezoning takes place. That would allow those freshmen to attend the same school throughout high school.
"We think that would make sense," Mr. Nagle said.
Board member Mike Sleeper said the superintendent told the board the areas likely to be rezoned are around Hereford Farm, Louisville and Flowing Wells roads. He said about 10 to 15 pupils in each area would be affected.
Mr. Nagle, who expects to receive a report from staff members about the rezoning today, would not offer specifics.
The board approved a rezoning plan for its middle schools, which affected more than 1,100 pupils, in January in preparation for the August opening of Stallings Island Middle School on Blackstone Camp Road.
"Nothing is going to change in the middle schools. That's done," Mr. Nagle said. "We're looking at pockets of students that may go to some of the high schools."
The school system is not required to hold public hearings for rezonings, Mr. Nagle and Mr. Sleeper said. Mr. Nagle said public hearings have been held "as a courtesy" during other rezoning proceedings.
He said administrators need to make plans for the coming school year.
"If we're going to do something, we need to get information to the students for registration purposes," Mr. Nagle said.
School officials have said the high-school rezoning will follow the middle-school plan to create a common system.
Mr. Sleeper said details such as transportation and athletic eligibility still need to be worked out for the pocket rezoning. He also said officials need to decide whether students in other grades could go to a new school next year and whether allowances would be made for families who would have children at different high schools.
Mr. Sleeper said letters likely would be sent to families in these areas to notify them of the new school zones.
Reach Betsy Gilliland at (706) 868-1222, ext. 113, or betsy.gilliland@augustachronicle.com.
IF YOU GO
WHAT: Columbia County Board of Education meeting
WHEN: 5:30 p.m. Tuesday
WHERE: Columbia County school system central office, 4781 Hereford Farm Road, Evans
Comments
What would "make sense" ain't necessarily what will happen. When I moved to Columbia County, there was an elementary school 1.1 miles from my house, yet my kids were sent to a school 4.1 miles away due to "pocket rezoning."
Some rising-ninth have already registered at the new schools, they are finally voting to approve it to cover jumping the gun on this one.
High school students have already signed up for next years classes. Are taxpayers going to be sending buses to several schools from the same pocket (politic) zone?
There have been rants against the parents who aren't happy about the rezoning, saying that if we don't like the changes, then move. People choose to live in various school districts sometimes for that school, or they live in a neighborhood because it is physically close to a school, whatever. So who wants to be uprooted, shuffled all around, especially if there are 8th grade plans/trips that have been anticipated since 6th grade? I saw a family's name in the paper this weekend who it appears sold their home to some company-they were being rezoned to Grovetown Middle-then the next line said they bought a different home from the same company, I guess in the school zone of their preference. Such a lot of work. It wouldn't be so bad if the attitude of the school board was better. Several of us have written to the board members with no response, including to the leader when she requested input for her upcoming retreat.
Just think as this rezoning as an opportunity for your child to rescue the illiterate and misfortuntate children from the depths of dispare. AS long as CC is growing, rezoing is inevitable. I am sure the BOE is doing all they can to do what is best for the children of CC.
I must have missed something? I thought all of the Columbia County school were great. So what is the big deal?
I will not change. I moved to Columbia county for my son to start high school at Evans High, they have the classes he wanted to take and now you tell me he might get rezoned for another school ..lol NO WAY HE WILL NOT CHANGE SCHOOL'S NOT AFTER WE MOVED HERE FOR THAT REASON FOR HIM TO GO TO EVANS HIGH IM NOT MOVING AGAIN TO STAY IN ZONE...
Kiana...'I will not', 'he will not'. Such strong feelings. Are you okay?
School is about getting an education. In a government run school you go where it is best for the majority. The alternative is to pay for a private school, that way You can select the school and pay for transportation.
Nagel is a complete idiot.
someone need some decaf this morning. lol
I commend Nagle for thinking ahead in reagards to the students and their transistion into High school. The parents are idiots for these emotional tantrums. i believe I read that out of the 1100 students rezoned less than 30 have issued complaints. Pretty insignificant number. I wonder if the children being rezoned are as traumatized at the these parents!?!
Dani..lol are you ok for questioning my comment I mean this is a comment page wright ? You move for your child to go to a certain school for his education so he can become what he wants to be. You can't tell me it wouldnt make you a little ill..
This will not only affect the ninth graders unless the board is totally incomptent. The rezoning should have been approved prior to registration. Also, the other siblings in a family should know what their status is because they need to register at the appropriate school so they can get the courses needed for graduation unless the board plans on having two different buses pickup at the same location. If that is the plan, what a waste of tax payer dollars.
don't worry about the zoning ccboe doesn't really bother to check oh yeah maybe its the select few they don't check; you better play sports. The rule is you have to take a year off and get permission but grown adults lie which in the end can place the school in trouble with ghsa. Out of zone players are illegal by GHSA rules and it is considered cheating.
Don't we all need more cheating by CC schools
Hey Kiana - don't worry about zoning - just go to any CC school at the beginning and ending of school and look at the Richmond County tags dropping off and picking up kids. I had a friend who lived in Modoc, SC, and both of his kids graduated LHS. They used their grandmother's address in Evans!!! It's kind of sad and funny at the same time. The Cheetahs got cheated. Where there is a will, there is a way. You can figure out a way to keep your kid at EHS without moving. Remember, our top administrators aren't the brightest bulb in the box.
I find it funny that now only 30 or so parents supposedly complained when during both meetings I counted more then 100 in presence.
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I moved to Columbia co for the schools. I pay taxes on my house that says I do have a say in where my child attends. I certainly hope each and everyone of you remembers your opinion when they come to force your child to move and ruin your property values. As it is I will be moving as well, only I am moving to Aiken co.
lol you got that right green, I see so many richmond county kids coming over to CC to go to school. I think thats why our schools are so full. They dont check as good as they should it's still to easy to do..
it seems if they are going to force these school zoning changes they need to force all those current students from attending any ol school they want to. This includes the ones from ghs who attend lhs; lhs who attend ehs and so own. You should check the local apartment complex who let people use addresses.
Amen oh man - they definitely need to verify that the children actually live at the address given on their registration. I can understand a parent who moves to another zone towards the end of the school year wanting their child to finish out the year and the school will usually approve the request. But students who move before half the year is up, or who are using an old address or the address of a relative? Send them packing to the correct school or county and charge the parents tuition for the time they've spent in our schools. I have to admit I don't remember this much fussing and fuming over rezoning when Lakeside and Greenbrier schools opened. If people (especially newcomers) were really concerned about which school their child should attend they should take the time to research the school district boundaries before buying and talk to the BOE folks about the possibility of future rezoning. We knew when we bought our house ten years ago we'd eventually be rezoned from the current school and the only surprise was the actual location of the new school.
The article says that the school board isn't obligated to have any public hearings but do so as a courtesy. The same type of comments made regarding the school calendar. It's all in the delivery. The board can't accommodate everyone and sure, there are whiners in every bunch, but I think that the majority of parents are caring folks who want to be informed. The board doesn't really want the input yet they expect the support. Heard today that a neighborhood is going to petition to keep their whole group going to Evans rather than the new school-good luck with that! I think it would be hard to physically check the residences of kids. Heck look at the Davidson situation-I know someone whose kid is at a Col. Co. school, lives with the mom but will use the dad's address to go to Davidson. Nobody will be checking.
Queen..I am sorry to be the one to tell you but paying taxes doesn't give you any say-so as to how that money is spent.
The money belongs to the government now and they are expected to spend it for the good of the community as a whole. Not for a few.
If an entire neighborhood is trying to avoid being rezoned from Evans to Grovetown it's going to be an exercise in futility. That was tried years ago when Lakeside was built and it didn't fly then. If the neighborhood was included in the rezoning there's good reason for it. The board not only looks at attendance for a specific school today, they also look at future projected attendance. Retaining a neighborhood in the zone today could mean a multitude of portable classrooms in this same zone tomorrow - add more of those and you'll really hear some whining and carrying on.
If you need proof of kids going to schools they are not zoned for, look at the athletes. Somehow, a baseball player who was zoned to go to LHS ended up at GHS and won a scholarship to college. Parents will use hook and crook to get their kids who have athletic ability into the right school with the best program to give their kid the best shot at a scholarship. However, this kind of stuff is winked at. Need I say more? Look at the disarray in Columbia County athletics with the football coaching fiasco at GHS and LHS. No administrator had the guts to fire them. One quit, the other got suspended for what? two games if I remember right - and he will keep right on coaching. If your kid is a star athlete, he gets to choose his school.
Also interesting is the little known fact that some kids who live near the McDuffie County border go to Dearing & Thomson schools instead. The counties worked out a deal a long time ago...
Moving to Aiken County than Columbia I heard not one school in Aiken County made AYP last year infact the whole state of South Carolina.
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