BRUNSWICK COUNTY — Brunswick County Schools’ redistricting consultant has released the first draft of school reassignment options, some of which will be implemented this upcoming academic year.
At the least, new school districts are needed to make way for the new Town Creek Middle School, nearing completion adjacent to Town Creek Elementary School in Winnabow.
Related: First Brunswick redistricting information session this week with northern school assignments
New elementary and middle school assignment options could be reviewed and approved by the Brunswick County Board of Education as early as December. No new high school redistricting options have been presented at this time.
Brunswick County Schools’ criteria during the redistricting process includes three major goals: keep neighborhood schools; cap enrollment capacity at 1,400 for high schools, 750 for middle schools, and 600 for elementary schools; maintain an average bus route of 60 to 75 minutes.
New maps released
The county’s consultant has prepared three draft reassignment options. Option one would move the fewest number of elementary and middle school students combined, 516, from their current assignment, with Option three moving the highest, at 797.
CropperGIS’ options can be viewed online. Existing school districts can be viewed on the CropperGIS online interactive map, where new draft options will soon be uploaded (view a data breakdown of the options at the bottom of this article).
All three middle school options designed to create a new district for Town Creek Middle School would net students from northern Brunswick County, with most students required to travel south to reach the school in Winnabow. Options one and two both include a boundary line that would reach just a block or so from Leland Middle School, which could likely create an issue for students already assigned to the school who would be reassigned in these scenarios.
The third option would reassign Mallory Creek students to Town Creek Middle School; options two and three would reassign Sandy Creek, Grayson Park, and Magnolia Greens (Waterford would only be reassigned in option three)
As for elementary school, Brunswick County Schools’ highest priority need is relieving overcrowding at Belville Elementary. Currently with 863 students, Belville Elementary is 43% above its capacity goal, or utilizing 120% of its building capacity of 716 students.
Option three would reassign Belville Elementary students living in Mallory Creek to Town Creek Elementary School and students off Old Lanvale Road, Waterford, and Magnolia Greens to Belville Elementary; option one would reassign Belville Elementary Students living in Waterford and Magnolia Greens to Town Creek Elementary; option two would reassign Belville Elementary students living off Village Road to Lincoln Elementary.
Info session
With the first information session conducted in October, Brunswick County Schools’ second information session Monday will include the first public opportunity for parents and community members to weigh in.
Results from a preliminary online community survey are available, with less than 20 entries. CropperGIS will launch a second online survey Monday to garner feedback on new assignment options.
Second info session: Monday, Nov. 18, beginning at 6 p.m. at North Brunswick High School.
Data on new BCS assignment options by Johanna Ferebee on Scribd
Keep up with school assignment updates on Brunswick County Schools’ new redistricting page.
Send tips and comments to Johanna Ferebee at johanna@localvoicemedia.com
