Officials present rezoning proposal

Columbia County residents got their first look at the school system's rezoning proposal for its high schools Thursday.

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Jim Blaylock/Staff

Superintendent Charles Nagle says rezoning will mainly affect three high schools.

School administrators presented the proposal at a public hearing at Harlem High School to a crowd of about 100 people, who applauded the officials at the end of their presentation. The new zones will go into effect in the 2009-10 school year when Grovetown High School, the county's fifth high school, opens on Chamblin Road.

All four of the county's current high schools will be affected by the rezoning.

However, the rezoning primarily will affect Greenbrier, Evans and Harlem high schools, Superintendent Charles Nagle said.

Andy and Barbara Howell, of Evans, said their daughter, who is in eighth grade, will be rezoned from Greenbrier High to the Grovetown High area.

"We're not happy. They're used to the Greenbrier school district," Mrs. Howell said.

She said they bought land and built a house specifically so their children could attend the Greenbrier schools.

"It's probably going to be a great school," Mr. Howell said of Grovetown High.

However, he also said they live in a small neighborhood that is just inside the new Grovetown High zone. He said he wanted to know whether the proposal was "set in concrete, or are they open to changes."

Maps and narrative descriptions of the proposed boundaries are available at www.ccboe.net. Parents also can e-mail administrators at zoning@ccboe.net or call the central office at (706) 541-0650.

A second public hearing is scheduled for April 1 at Greenbrier High School.

The school board plans to approve the final rezoning plan at its April 22 meeting. Parents will be notified about the new zones between May and July.

Reach Betsy Gilliland at (706) 868-1222, ext. 113, or betsy.gilliland@augustachronicle.com.