By WECT Staff | October 21, 2020 at 3:24 PM EDT – Updated October 29 at 11:18 PM
BRUNSWICK COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) – Brunswick County Schools has announced a timeline for Phase 2 of its redistricting plan.
The district held its first public information session virtually on October 29.
The district has no plans to hold in-person events at this time because of the pandemic.
The county has hired consultant Matthew Cropper of Cropper GIS to lead them through both Phase 1 & 2.
Phase 1 wrapped up this spring.
Phase 2 is expected to impact fewer students.
“We’re really looking at this second phase, most likely not having as much of an impact as the first phase because that first phase was building a new zone around a new building so a lot of students were moved as part of that,” Cropper said Thursday.
The goals include evaluating the efficiency of the rest of the district including bus routes and feeder patterns.
“We’re not going to be looking at moving every student in the county in this effort, I really think we’re looking at being efficient in this second phase and focusing on impacting as few students as possible while still accomplishing our objectives,” Cropper said.
Cropper also said they will strive to keep kids in their neighborhood schools closest to home while also aiming for target goals at each school.
They aim for a maximum of 1,400 students at high schools, 750 students at middle schools and 600 students at elementary schools.
The district also aims for bus routes to be no longer than an average of 60-75 minutes.
Upcoming dates (Subject to change):
- Dec. 1: Public Information Session #2. This will be in a virtual meeting format, available to the public, where consultant Cropper GIS will present DRAFT Realignment Options to the community for comment/feedback.
- Jan. 5, 2021: Extended public comment session at the Board of Education meeting.
- Feb. 2, 2021: Public Information Session #3. This will be in a virtual meeting format, available to the public, where consultant Cropper GIS will present DRAFT Redistricting Options to the community for comment/feedback.
- March 2, 2021: Extended public comment session at Board of Education meeting.
- March 23, 2021: School board presentation of final DRAFT redistricting options at the Operations Committee Meeting.
- To Be Determined: Vote on redistricting option for Phase 2.
More information on redistricting for Brunswick County Schools can be found here.
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