Schools

School Board to Discuss Redistricting Plans

Four existing Paulding middle schools could be impacted as district officials prepare for the opening of a ninth middle school.

The planned opening of a new Paulding County middle school next year could impact those currently attending or set to attend several existing middle schools.

Officials with Paulding County Schools will present the district’s redistricting timeline at tonight’s school board meeting. The redistricting is needed as the system prepares to open its ninth middle school next August. The new school is being built along Old Country Trail in Dallas; .

“We have a plan that we’re going to share with the board tonight on how we’re going to approach redistricting for that new middle school,” Associate Superintendent Brian Otott said. “It has the potential to impact multiple middle schools.

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“Our goal would be to open middle school no. 9 with a student population of 750. The prominent areas that will be impacted will be and , but we also have some need to provide relief for and , so that will be part of what’s shared this evening.”

Otott added that the capacity for the new middle school is 900, though officials through the redistricting process will have a goal of opening the new school under capacity as well as balancing overall middle school enrollments to some degree.

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The timeline, Otott said, will represent “a little bit of a change structurally in how we approach redistricting with the community,” as it will involve more community feedback on the front end. Parents and others to be impacted by redistricting will be able to speak out prior to any map being presented, and multiple community forums will be held for that purpose.

Though board feedback could amend the district’s timeline, Otott said current plans call for three public forums to be held at three different sites before any recommendations for action are submitted to school board members.

“This is an opportunity for those interested in this to have a high degree of involvement in the process,” Otott said.

The board will meet at 6:15 p.m. in the central office boardroom. The meeting is open to the public.


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