School Rezoning Attracts Large Crowd

Groups of parents clustered around maps hanging on the walls of the gymnasium at Autry Mill Middle School Monday night to get a first glimpse of proposed 2009 attendance areas prepared by the Fulton County Schools staff. The school rezoning is driven by the new Johns Creek Hospital being constructed on State Bridge at Medlock Bridge Road.
Four attendance alternatives were created as a result of an earlier parent meeting, small breakout groups and e-mail suggestions.

Fulton County School Board member Ashley Widener said typically only two to three alternatives were presented during the rezoning process, but this time there are four.

“We are hoping input from the community will help [the staff] come up with a better plan,” said Widener.

In all, more than 300 parents spent two hours hearing how the maps were created and spending additional time in neighborhood break out groups with the task of addressing the pros and cons of the plans presented.

Patrick Burke, the chief facilities officer for Fulton County Schools said the parent break groups have greatly improved the input process versus the former format of allowing parents to address school officials from one microphone at a meeting.
Nearly half the attendees at the May 5 were new from the last meeting that drew more than 200 people.

Fulton schools staff said in developing the plans their number one objective was to reduce school over-crowding Northview High School tops the over-crowding list.

With a current student population of 2,665, Northview is 815 students over the number the facility was intended to serve. Northview is followed by Chattahoochee with a school population of 2,100.

Ultimately, the school system will draw students from the top end of Johns Creek and pull them south toward the new Johns Creek high school, say officials.

The maps presented this week will undergo several more renditions before a final version is presented to the school board for a vote later this summer.

For those unable to attend the meeting, Fulton Schools has set up a website that explains the entire redistricting process and will accept written comments. Go to http://www.fultonschools.org/redistricting.