Elementary Redistricting Meeting Tonight

Parents of students at P.B. Ritch Elementary Thursday will have their first opportunity to offer input on elementary school redistricting plans to take .

Paulding County Schools officials released on Wednesday the initial redistricting maps, which have P.B. Ritch students attending next year one of three nearby schools—Baggett, Dugan or Hutchens elementaries. The maps are attached to this article.

P.B. Ritch will host Thursday night at 7 the first of two meetings focused on redistricting students to the nearby schools. The second meeting is set for Feb. 9, also at 7 p.m.

P.B. Ritch opened in 1986, originally housing middle school students until 1991, when it was configured to serve elementary students. , the school’s enrollment stood at 339 students, putting the school at 57 percent capacity.

Associate Superintendent Brian Otott said the three neighboring elementary schools will be able to absorb P.B. Ritch’s population; Dugan and Hutchens elementaries each have a capacity of nearly 900 students, while Baggett has room for nearly 700. “We feel like we’re in good shape with sending students to those three schools,” he said Wednesday.

Thursday’s meeting will have attendees viewing the proposed maps and coming together in small groups to discuss them and offer input. The district will gather and review attendee input as they modify the maps ahead of the Feb. 9 redistricting meeting.

Otott said the district plans to present a final redistricting proposal to the school board at its Feb. 14 meeting. Board members at that meeting are also slated to consider a final version of the district’s maps and calendars for the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 school years.

Though P.B. Ritch Elementary is set to close, the name won't be going away. Paulding School Board members this week on the district's , which is set to open this fall.