Rezoning Matters: Fulton Prepares for School Redistricting

North Fulton County parents are expressing concerns over the rezoning of North Fulton High Schools. Due to growth and over-crowding and the subsequent construction of the new Johns Creek High School, several schools including Chattahoochee High School, Northview High School and possibly Centennial High School will be rezoned.

Students will be re-routed to the existing schools or the new high school that is being built in Johns Creek near the intersection of State Bridge and Medlock Bridge roads.

"Pretty much all of North Fulton could be affected," said Fulton County School Board member Ashley Widener.

New attendance zones will be created by modifying existing zones to accommodate for the new school. Widener said the county has seen a need.

Northview was initially built to accommodate 1,850 students, but currently there are more than 2,700 enrolled. Chattahoochee High School was built to accommodate 1,650 students, but that school’s enrollment is 2,287.

Rapid growth and development in the northern parts of Fulton County has accelerated students growth, faster than expected.

"People have been moving to North Fulton and Johns Creek because of the quality of life, and the things the community has to offer. We are a product of our own success," Widener said.

Widener said that the firm numbers for the number of students that would be directly affected is not yet available.

"The short answer is 100 percent [will be affected]," she said. "If a student stays at the same school, but their friend moves, then you could say they are affected."

The school system will conduct three community meetings in conjunction with the changes in attendance zones. All three meetings will be held at Autrey Mill Middle School on Old Alabama Road.

The first meeting will take place April 14 and during that meeting school system staff will outline the redistricting process and establish ground rules for facilitated, small-group input sessions.

Parents have the opportunity to communicate their questions and concerns through these public comment venues, and by emailing their comments, suggestions and concerns to: planning@fultonschools.org. The system staff will review the comments.

Alternative proposals for 2009- 2010 high school attendance zones redistricting will be presented at a May 5 meeting. Members of the community will have the opportunity to comment on the revisions. In addition, community members will have the chance to comment on residential development, traffic, previous redistricting and other issues relevant to attendance zones.

The zoning plans are based on the geographic proximity and the distance traveled using available routes of transportation. Also, capacity and projected enrollment affect the zoning priorities.

Secondary criteria is based on traffic patterns travel time, and safe operation of buses. Previous school zonings are also taken into account to avoid splitting up neighborhoods.
Feeder school alignment is also considered, meaning future students would attend elementary middle and high school within the same boundaries.

During a meeting held last month at Chattahoochee High School, parents expressed concern of the possibility that Juniors and Seniors might not finish high school at the same school. At that meeting parents were informed that special provisions would likely be made for upper class men, but parents would have to provide travel arrangements and no students would be bussed outside of their district.

While the exact number of students who will be changing schools is not yet clear, Widener says the principals and school administration have worked within the school system for years, and are quite capable of handling the transition.

"We have a lot of known people and known professionals, and the same kids," she said.

Chattahoochee High School principal Tim Duncan pointed out that this was not the first time his school has gone through such a transition.

"Chattahoochee has survived a lot of splits really well," Duncan said. "The kids survived."

Florence Milway, co-President of the PTSA at Chattahoochee said she believes the transition will be smooth.

"People are very passionate about this issue, there is a lot of anxiety but once done, everything foes smoothly," Milway said.

Milway understands the need for students and parents to stay connected to one school.

"When you start talking about high school it matters – it matters where you go to high school," Milway said.

Students will be notified by September 2008 of rezoning changes. The new high school in Johns Creek is set to open in August 2009.

Pictured: Ashley Widener, Fulton County School Board Member, Dist. 5, left, listens as Randee Nagler, area superintendant for the Chattahoochee/Northview schools cluster talks to Johns Creek parents.