Other action
Also during its meeting Thursday night, the Forsyth County Board of Education was presented with a timeline for setting the 2016-17 student calendar. The board will receive the proposed calendar on Nov. 12 and then have a week to review it before final approval.
-- Kayla Robins
SOUTH FORSYTH — As the 2015-16 year enters its second full week, schools in south Forsyth and district officials are setting their sights on new attendance zones.
The system must redraw the boundaries to accommodate two of the three new schools — Brandywine Elementary and DeSana Middle — under construction to relieve crowding at other campuses.
During its meeting Thursday night, the Forsyth County Board of Education laid out a timeline and communication plan for redistricting. The new schools are scheduled to open in fall 2016.
Elementary schools likely to be affected by the new lines are: Big Creek, Daves Creek, Haw Creek, Mashburn, Midway, Shiloh Point and Vickery Creek.
Piney Grove, South Forsyth and Vickery Creek middle schools will be redistricted, too.
Rising fifth- and eighth-graders who are redistricted may opt to stay at their original school for their final year by completing an application. Siblings of those students may do so, too, but just for one year.
Families of students who receive an out-of-district exemption must provide their own transportation.
There is no intent to alter high school zones for the 2016-17 school year, though those “will be reviewed/considered based on elementary and middle school lines.”
The lines will shift for high schools in fall 2017 for the opening of Denmark High School in 2018.
If the school board approves the timeline Aug. 20, the redistricting staff will meet with principals of the affected schools on Aug. 21, before presenting the first draft of the new lines to the board on Thursday, Sept. 10.
That draft will be publicly available online and at schools between Sept. 11-21.
A second draft will follow the same procedure when it is brought to the board on Oct. 8. If approved Oct. 15, it will be presented to the public Oct. 16-26.
During that time, there will be two public forums so community members can provide feedback.
A public meeting for elementary schools will take place at 6 p.m. at West Forsyth High School on Oct. 20, while the middle school forum will be held on Oct. 22 at the same place and time.
The school board will discuss all feedback at its Oct. 29 work session.
A final draft is expected to be presented on Nov. 12, with final approval likely on Nov. 19.