Hundreds Attend School Overcrowding Meeting

An overflow crowd attended Tuesday night’s DeKalb school system’s meeting on overcrowding in the Cross Keys Cluster, so many that the school’s media center was used for a live, closed-circuit TV feed.

The meeting was held at Brookhaven’s only high school, Cross Keys.

According to the Brookhaven Post, overcrowding in the cluster is so bad that in several cases, there is simply not enough land to continue the practice of installing “temporary” trailer classrooms. Some schools, such as Dresden Elementary and Cary Reynolds with almost 30 trailers, have portions of their playgrounds taken over because there is no where else to put them.

DeKalb School Leaders say they are committed to implementing this plan and giving the schools in the Cross Keys Cluster the attention that it needs. The plan involves shifting students to other parts of the District, as well as construction of a new high school, a new middle school and two new elementary schools to relieve.

The Cross Keys cluster includes Woodward Elementary, Montclair Elementary, Dresden Elementary, Cary Reynolds Elementary, Sequoyah Middle School and Cross Keys High School.

Another meeting on the issue is set for Thursday at 6 pm at Sequoyah Middle School.