Guilford County Board of Education
March 7, 2006

GUILFORD COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION
PUBLIC FORUM
PAGE HIGH SCHOOL

The Board of Education held a public forum on Tuesday, January 17, 2006, at Page High School, 201 Alma Pinnix Drive, Greensboro, North Carolina, to listen to comments, concerns, and answer questions about the proposed district-wide redistricting plans and attendance lines. Chairman Alan Duncan delivered opening remarks beginning at 7:02 p.m. The following Board members were present: Walter Childs, Kris Cooke, Alan Duncan, Darlene Garrett, Deena Hayes, Dot Kearns, Susan Mendenhall, Amos Quick, Nancy Routh, Anita Sharpe, and Marti Sykes. Superintendent Terry Grier was also present.

District Demographer Eric Hoekstra reviewed proposed redistricting plans and reviewed Maps A, B, B Star, C, and D.

MAP A – This map is a culmination of all the maps that were presented to the Board during fall of 2005 with some additional changes. Changes include the creation of attendance zones for the new schools Northern High, Northern Area Middle, Northern Area Elementary, Reedy Fork Area Elementary, and Northwest Area (Cardinal Area) Elementary. In addition, changes include a Jefferson/Guilford Elementary pair of shifts for 2007. Changes among Peck, Murphey, Foust, Wiley, and Frazier are proposed for 2006. A shift from Stokesdale to Oak Ridge is also proposed for 2007. There are some secondary shifts proposed with the opening of Northwest Elementary that involve adding students to Colfax from Oak Ridge and Southwest Elementary.

As space becomes available with the opening of Northern High, shifts are proposed among Eastern, Page, and Northeast High and among Eastern Middle, Northeast Middle, and Aycock Middle. Northern High is slated for a late 2007 opening. Northern Middle is planned to begin at Northwest Middle and Northeast Middle during the fall of 2006 with approximate mid-year shifts to the new middle school. A few students from Kernodle would join Northern Middle in fall of 2007.

High Point changes include Southwest Middle and High students from the Florence Elementary attendance area to Welborn Middle and Andrews High.  Students from the Blairwood area west of Oak Hollow Lake would shift from Welborn Middle and Andrews High to Ferndale Middle and High Point Central High.  Andrews High students from south of Kivett Drive and east of College Drive would shift to High Point Central High.  Oak View area students, east of North Main Street would shift from Penn-Griffin Middle and High Point Central High/Andrews High to Southwest Middle and High.  Kirkman Park area students would shift from Penn-Griffin Middle and Andrews High to Southwest Middle and High.   Middle school students from Shadybrook area and Oak View area, west of North Main Street, would shift to Ferndale Middle from Penn-Griffin Middle. Penn-Griffin would become a grade 6 through 12 performing arts dedicated magnet school.

Map B - Map B is similar to Map A in that changes for new schools in the northern part of the county would be the same as Map A. In the High Point area, Map B would follow, generally, the map prepared by the staff in November 2005 for the Board seeking to reduce the home to school distance. However, the map recognized that school feeder patterns and capacities would limit the school assignment to schools possibly the second or third closest.

MAP B Star – This map is the same as Map A except for the High Point area. In the High Point area, Map B Star follows the Map B known as the “closest to home” map taking into account school capacity, feeder patterns, and magnet school programs. 

MAP C – This map was previously presented in August 2005 and later removed from consideration. At the January 10, 2006 Board meeting, the Board voted to reconsider this map. This map would follow Map A except for the High Point area. In the High Point area, changes would include shifting Southwest Middle and High students from the Whites Mill Road and Penny Road areas to Andrews High and Welborn Middle Schools. In exchange, students from the Parkview Elementary School area and north of East Green Drive would transfer to the Southwest school zone.

MAP D - This map is the same as Map A except for the High Point area. In the High Point area, Map D follows the 1999 Redistricting Plan adopted by the Board.

Chairman Duncan also explained that the Board was considering a recommendation from the administration to combine the attendance zones for Southern and Sumner elementary schools. In doing so, students in grades K through 1 would be assigned to Southern and students in grades 2 thru 5 would be assigned to Sumner. This change is being proposed in order to better utilize the facilities at Southern and Sumner elementary schools.

After hearing from community members present, the forum concluded at 8:55 p.m.