Fulton Schools reveal 3 redistricting plans; Community debates pros and cons of maps

By Katie Fallon
katiefallon@reporternewspapers.net

In front of a standing room-only crowd in the North Springs High School cafeteria on Nov. 13, the Fulton County school district unveiled three attendance zone plans for redistricting its Sandy Springs elementary schools.

The plans affect existing elementary schools Dunwoody Springs, Heards Ferry, High Point, Spalding Drive and Woodland, as well as two new schools. One located at the intersection of Lake Forrest Drive and Cliftwood Drive will open in 2008. The second, located off Ison Road, will open in 2009.

Representatives from the schools district, including Planning Director Patrick Burke and Area Superintendent Leonard Box, unveiled Plans A, B and C.

Although both new schools are being redistricted at the same time, the overcrowding relief to existing schools will be staggered. Some will see relief with the first school’s debut, but others will have to wait until the 2009-2010 school year.

Burke reiterated to some clearly disappointed parents that redistricting is not perfect and that each elementary school’s families will not be completely happy with each plan. He said not every recommendation can be fulfilled.

“It’s impossible to balance these things perfectly,” Burke said. “It really is difficult to make all these things balance perfectly. None of these [plans] are perfect by any means.”

The changes that come with each plan are as follows. Maps of each alternative can be viewed online at www.fultonschools.org/redistricting.

Plan A

-Heards Ferry students would move to the Lake Forrest schools if included in all complexes emptying onto Lake Forrest Drive north of I-285, including, but not limited to Lancaster; areas southeast of the intersection of Lake Forrest Drive and Mt. Vernon Highway, north of I-285; areas east of Roswell Road; areas emptying onto Northwood Drive, including but not limited to Sierra Place, Prado North, and Highland Circle.

-High Point students would move to the Lake Forrest school if included in all areas emptying onto Lake Placid Drive, east and west of Roswell Road including but not limited to Lake Placid and The Mission; areas emptying onto Carpenter Dr, east of Roswell Road including but not limited to Park Terrace.

-Spalding Drive students would move to the Lake Forrest school if included in areas southeast of the intersection of Abernathy and Johnson Ferry Roads, including but not limited to Whispering Pines, Townhomes of Sandy Springs and Provence North; to Heards Ferry if included in all areas east of the intersection of Colewood Way and River Valley Roads, west of Johnson Ferry Road including but not limited to Montaire Estates; to Woodland in 2009 if included in all complexes emptying onto The Valley and Carlisle Court, including but not limited to The Magnolias and Stonington; and to the Ison Road school in 2009 if included in all areas north of the intersection of Roswell Road and Trowbridge Road, including but not limited to Walton Falls, Victoria Park, Victoria Heights, Morgan Falls, Laurels at Morgan Falls, Commons at Victoria, Cambridge Townhomes and Harbor Point.

-Woodland students would move to the Ison Road school is included in all areas northwest of Roswell Road, including but not limited to Barrington Canyon, Colonial Grand, Grogans Bluff, Huntcliff, Jasmine, Spring Creek, and Windridge.

-Dunwoody Springs students would move to the Ison Road school in 2009 if included in all areas west of GA-400, south of Dunwoody Place Drive, including but not limited to Legacy Key, Northridge Crossing, Emperian/Northridge, Dunwoody Springs and Alara.

Plan B

-Heards Ferry students would move to the Lake Forrest school if included in all complexes emptying onto Lake Forrest Drive north of I-285 including but not limited to Lancaster; areas southeast of the intersection of Lake Forrest Drive and Mt. Vernon Highway, north of I-285 including but not limited to Highland Circle, Prado North and Sierra Place; areas east of Roswell Road; and areas emptying onto Northwood Drive including but not limited to Sierra Place, Prado North, and Highland Circle.

-High Point students would move to the Lake Forrest school if included in all areas emptying onto Lake Placid, west of Roswell Road including, but not limited to Lake Placid; and all areas north of I-285, including but not limited to Sutters Point, Park Terrace, Hammond Hills and Glenridge Forest, Barringer Place and Aberdeen Forest.

-Spalding Drive students would move to the Lake Forrest school if included in all areas south of Abernathy and River Valley Roads, including but not limited to Whispering Pines, Provence North, and Montaire; to Woodland in 2009 if included in all complexes emptying onto The Valley and Carlisle Court, including but not limited to The Magnolias and Stonington; and to the Ison Road school in 2009 if included in all complexes emptying onto Morgan Falls Road, including but not limited to Harbor Point.

-Woodland students would move to the Ison Road school in 2009 if included in all areas emptying onto Pitts Road, west of GA-400, including but not limited to Shadow Pines, Park at Dunwoody, and Dunwoody Point; and all areas west of Roswell Road, including but not limited to Barrington Canyon, Colonial Grand, Grogans Bluff, Huntcliff, Jasmine, Spring Creek, and Windridge.

Plan C

-Heards Ferry students would move to the Lake Forrest school if included in areas northeast of I-285 and Mount Vernon Highway including but not limited to Lancaster and Mitchell Road; and areas emptying onto Northwood Drive including but not limited to Sierra Place, Prado North, and Highland Circle.

-High Point students would move to the Lake Forrest school if included in all areas west of Roswell Road and north of Maryeanna Drive, including but not limited to Stonebridge, Southern Trace, Lake Placid, Charleston Square, and Calibre Springs; and areas emptying onto Carpenter Dr, east of Roswell Road including but not limited to Park Terrace.

-Spalding Drive students would move to Herds Ferry if included in all areas south of Abernathy and River Valley Roads, including but not limited to Whispering Pines, Provence North, and Montaire; to Woodland in 2009 if included in all complexes southeast of the intersection of Northwood and Roswell Roads, including but not limited to The Lodge, Highgate and Foxcroft; and to the Ison Road school if included in all complexes onto Morgan Falls Road, including but not limited to Harbor Point.

-Woodland students would move to the Ison Road school in 2009 if included in all areas emptying onto Pitts Road, west of GA-400, including but not limited to Shadow Pines, Park at Dunwoody, and Dunwoody Point; and all areas northwest of Roswell Road, including but not limited to Barrington Canyon, Colonial Grand, Grogans Bluff, Huntcliff, Jasmine, Spring Creek, and Windridge.

For continuing coverage of the Nov. 13 meeting and the plans, visit www.reporternewspapers.net.