Lexington One Proposes New School Attendance Zones

The Lexington One Board of Trustees on Tuesday unveiled their proposed new attendance zones as the fast-growing school district prepares to open a new middle school and high school in the next couple of years.

In the first reading of the proposed lines, the new attendance zones for Meadow Glen Middle and River Bluff High schools alter the attendance lines of Lexington Middle School, Pleasant Hill Middle School and Lexington High School. 

View the proposed attendance zone maps here and here.

For the most part, the proposed rezoning uses elementary school lines to determine feeder schools, according to Chief Information Officer Jeff Salter. 

Under the proposed middle school realignment, Pleasant Hill Elementary, Rocky Creek Elementary and part of Lake Murray Elementary schools would feed to Pleasant Hill Middle School. 

Lexington Elementary, New Providence Elementary and part of Lake Murray Elementary School would feed to Lexington Middle School. 

Midway Elementary, Meadow Glen Elementary and part of the Oak Grove Elementary currently attending Lexington Middle School would feed to Meadow Glen Middle School. The part of Oak Grove Elementary currently feeding to White Knoll Middle School would continue to feed to White Knoll Middle School. 

Meantime, in the proposed high school realignment, Pleasant Hill Elementary, Rocky Creek Elementary, Lake Murray Elementary School and part of New Providence Elementary would feed Lexington High School. 

The other part of New Providence Elementary, Midway Elementary, Meadow Glen Elementary and the part of Oak Grove Elementary currently feeding to Lexington Middle School would feed to River Bluff High School. The part of Oak Grove Elementary currently feeding to White Knoll High School would continue to feed to White Knoll High School.

While parents and students will get three chances to learn more about the proposed zones and offer their feedback in upcoming community meetings, board chair Cynthia Smith said, "I think a lot of it is just common sense."

Some students could elect to be grandfathered under the new rezoning, Salter said. If the new attendance lines show that a current seventh or eleventh-grade student would be rezoned, that student may elect to stay at his current school for his eighth-grade or twelfth-grade year, he said. However, parents or guardians must provide transportation to and from school and there would be no special bus routes, he added.

Any additional grandfathering options will be finalized in the fall of 2012, Salter said.

Preparation of new zones is imperative as the two new schools -- both of which are now under construction -- prepare to open over the next couple of years to ease overcrowding and mitigate future growth. 

Meadow Glen Middle School, set to open in 2012, is located at 510 Ginny Lane. It will have classroom space for 1,000 students and will open in the fall of 2012. Bill Coon will serve as principal.

River Bluff High School, set to open in 2013, is under construction on Corley Mill Road. The district's newest high school will have classroom space for 2,000 students, a competition gymnasium and mini-gymnasium, auditorium and stadium. Luke Clamp will be principal.

The district will hold three public meetings in upcoming weeks to give parents and students a say in the matter. The public will likely break into smaller groups to facilitate discussion, Smith said.

"That way, you can actually show us where your house is and we can tell you where you would go" under the proposed rezoning, Smith said.

"Rezoning is an emotional kind of thing," said District One Superintendent Karen Woodward. "Our goal is to make it as easy as possible. We want to have a good, open process and it's imperative this process be very active."

Board members stressed that public responses to the proposed new lines would be heavily weighted in making a final determination. "Please tell your friends and neighbors to go to these meetings," urged board member Debbie Knight.

Though Smith said that the current board has been tasked with setting new zones practically every year, fellow board member Ed Harmon noted the setting of new lines "is one of our most difficult and controversial tasks."

However, board member Bert Dooley put a brighter spin on it, saying students who attend the new schools have a chance to create something new and special that's all their own.

"It's like having a new baby," he said.

The public meetings will take place:

• Monday, Oct. 3, in Pleasant Hill Middle School’s cafeteria
• Wednesday, Oct. 5, in Lexington High School’s cafeteria
• Monday, Oct. 10, in Lexington Middle School’s theater 

Each meeting will begin with a formal presentation at 6 p.m. District staff will stay until 7:30 p.m. to answer any questions and note any concerns.