The new school, located off Pelissippi Parkway in the new Northshore Town Center, is scheduled to open in Fall 2013
At a community forum Monday night, Dr. McIntyre explained a few options for redistricting once the school is finished
A new Knox County elementary school will add more capacity to an area educators say continues to grow. It will also mean zoning changes for some families in West Knox County.
The new school, located off Pelissippi Parkway in the new Northshore Town Center, is scheduled to open in fall 2013 and have the capacity for more than 1,000 students.
"Part of the reason we're building a new school is to build capacity and to address some of the enrollment challenges that we have right now and that we wouldn't otherwise have in the future," said Knox County Superintendent Dr. Jim McIntyre.
At a community forum Monday night, McIntyre explained a few options for redistricting once the school is finished. He said the schools likely impacted include:
- A.L. Lotts Elementary
- Farragut Primary and Intermediate
- Cedar Bluff Elementary
- Ball Camp Elementary
- Hardin Valley Elementary
- West Hills Elementary
"We're really trying to get across to that whole western part of Knox County in this process and hear input from parents, from families, from community members... about what types of things we should consider," Dr. McIntyre said.
Laura Finney is a parent and current resident within Hardin Valley Elementary zoning. She hopes her two children - one of which will enter middle school next year - won't be pushed further apart.
Where we live, those schools are in two very opposite directions of our home," she said. "And transportation-wise, that's going to be a big challenge for us."
She and other parents questioned McIntyre about transportation, keeping siblings of different ages within the same school zoning, and a "grandfather" option for rising fifth graders who want to remain in place for their final year of elementary school.
"I really feel like it's important that our voices are heard," said Finney. "I just hope they're going to take what we said to heart... and use that."
Three more meetings are planned before the district will draft a plan for the school board to consider. Those are:
- Farragut Intermediate School (208 West End Boulevard) - Tuesday, Oct. 2 from 6-8 p.m.
- Cedar Bluff Elementary School (705 North Cedar Bluff Road) - Tuesday, Oct. 9 from 6-8 p.m.
- First Baptist Concord Westlake Campus (9635 Westland Drive) - Thursday, Oct. 11 from 6-8 p.m. (Hosted by the A.L. Lotts and Blue Grass Elementary School PTAs)
A series of follow-up meetings will be scheduled to discuss the attendance zones developed based on information garnered during these meetings.