CCSD Officials to Unveil 3 Redistricting Plans for South Cobb Schools

South Cobb parents will soon be able to choose between three options

The redistricting process continues as the district prepares to open three replacement elementary schools­, Mableton and Clarkdale elementary schools to open in fall 2012 and a Smyrna elementary school to be completed a year later. Ultimately, the redistricting plan will affect 27 elementary schools and will most likely include school closings.

Doug Shepard, chief SPLOST administrative officer for the Cobb County School District, said the maps are undergoing “last-minute refinements,” and will be likely be unveiled within the next two weeks.

Over the summer, various people–including school board members David Morgan, Tim Stultz, Alison Bartlett and area superintendents– have contributed to the three plans using the criteria outlined in the initial public forum,

Redistricting criteria include efficient and effective school sizes, consideration of home-to-school travel time and safety, and the efficiency of feeder patterns. One of the objectives is to eliminate elementary schools that feed into differing middle schools.

The three plans, which were primarily designed by CCSD Planning Department Director Dennis Campbell, will be available online in the coming weeks to allow time for parents to see them before the next public forum is held.

Shepard said district officials continue to seek feedback from parents throughout the entire redistricting process.

Parents can offer their comments on the Cobb Schools redistricting site, where district officials have set up a public commenting wall, similar to a Facebook wall.

Some of the recent comments include:

Anjanette | Harmony Leland
As an Africian American parent and homeowner in The Retreat at Old Lake Vinings, I'm sadden by the community's reasons why our children need to be redistricted to Nickajack. I agree with several other postings listed here....its definitely racial and socioeconomic related. At the end of the day who really cares which park your child plays in and which pool they swim. If it's really about what's in the best interest of your child then support to school they attend and make it a better place for ALL children....not just yours!!!

Elizabeth | Harmony Leland
Our fight should be to make the schools in all areas, specifically Cobb County, offer equal opportunity for learning to all children. So if/when redistricting does occur, the impact on our children (the ones who really matter) is slim to none.

Jean | Harmony Leland
The Retreat at Old Vinings Lake does not support Harmony Leland as a whole. Most of the families opt for private schools over sending their children to HL. I believe that if our district changes, more families would opt for public schools and therefore provide additional time and support to the public school system.

Lisa | Mableton
All these comments about economic issues and race issues is not the problem in these South Cobb schools. The educators or CCSD need to look at what the problems are. I think some of the problems are from students who have no respect for education and children who don't speak english. I understand these children also have the right to an education but these issues need to be addressed without affecting the children who want to learn and who already speak english which is currently not the case because "inclusion" has to occur whether it is good or bad. A teacher shouldn't have to remove all of her students from a classroom because of 2 disruptive kids. These are the issues that are causing the South Cobb schools to not meet AYP and have lower test scores. Redistricting is not going to fix the problem it will just move it around. CCSD needs to address the issues causing parents to choose private school or move to another county. And trust me I am one of those parents. If my children can't learn in the atmosphere they are currently in my only choice as a parent is to find a better environment.

Patch reporter Sydney Busby contributed to this report.