People what's the big deal children will be able to get more one on one instruction from the teachers. That's why most of you voted for Sonny Purdue in the first place.
The county school system is redrawing its high school zones to prepare for its fifth high school, Grovetown High, in 2009. Administrators presented a rezoning proposal at two public hearings, and the school board is expected to approve the final plan April 22. Superintendent Charles Nagle answered questions about the proposal.
Q: What criteria did you use to draw the zones?
A: "New schools are built to alleviate overcrowding in existing buildings. The Chamblin Road site was selected because of its central location, land availability and opportunity to help us address the crowding at Evans, Greenbrier and Harlem high schools. Once the site was selected, we reviewed present student population and projected growth for all high schools and determined the approximate number of students we would need to rezone to ensure building capacity for students in the future."
Q: When the school opens, enrollments at Evans, Greenbrier, Grovetown and Lakeside high schools are projected to range from more than 1,200 students to more than 1,700. Harlem High's enrollment is projected to be more than 800 students. Why is it so small?
A: "The instructional capacity for Harlem High is 54 units, compared to 80-plus at our other high schools. This number of instructional units makes Harlem's ideal student population 900-1,000 students. With a proposal of 806 to 826 students, this number will allow Harlem room for growth and also allow us to reduce numbers at Greenbrier."
Q: What concerns have parents expressed?
A: "The main concerns that people have revolve around the fear of diminished educational opportunities in the smaller high school and maintaining feeder systems from middle to high schools. The biggest issue has been that parents do not want their children to have to be rezoned to another school and an overall reluctance to this change."
Q: The school board approved a mandatory rezoning plan for rising ninth-graders in three areas of the county for 2008-09, and upperclassmen in these areas have the option of moving to their new schools a year ahead of schedule. Will upperclassmen in other parts of the county have the same option to move early?
A: "No, we are not able to make this option available for areas other than those already identified until the new high school opens and overcrowded conditions can be alleviated. The three areas already rezoned have existing transportation that we would not be able to provide to the new areas until the new school opens."
-- Betsy Gilliland, staff writer
Comments
People what's the big deal children will be able to get more one on one instruction from the teachers. That's why most of you voted for Sonny Purdue in the first place.
The concern is that students at Harlem High will lose programs. When the number of students is lowered, then the number of teachers is also lowered. The ratio won't change. If you only have 7 students who want to take the AP History class (for example), the class won't have enough students and it will be canceled. Therefore, while students at the larger schools have a choice of AP classes, art classes, etc..., the students at Harlem will no longer have those options. How is that fair?
"(R)eader212", do you think Roxie would allow AP classes at HHS to be cut? Do you think Charlie would make such a recommendation? I don't.
I think that all involved have good intentions now, but when they are faced with paying a teacher to teach a class of a handful of students they won't be able to justify it. Everyone will have forgotten these good intentions in the year and a half it takes to get to that point. Mark your calendar -- we'll meet back here September 1, 2009 and discuss all the classes that got cut.
I can see why parents are upset about Harlem High school. Nothing to brag about academically compared to Greenbrier, Evans
http://reportcard2007.gaosa.org/(nrakyk45dm1hqxvby405xx55)/k12/Reports.aspx?TestType=QCC&ID=636:183&OrgId=43165.
Jack, I was just wondering what your suggestions would be for HHS to improve to a level that would be acceptable to you? Can you provide 3 concrete things that HHS should do to improve their numbers? Have you compared the number of free and reduced lunch students at HHS with Greenbrier, Evans and Lakeside? Are you aware of the socio-economic differences within the Columbia County Schools? When is the last time you've been in a school? When is the last time you volunteered at a school? When is the last time you donated money to a school?
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