Atlanta Public Schools’ Proposal to Address Overcrowding in the
North Side Cluster of Elementary Schools
Over the last several years, more and more families are choosing to attend the Atlanta Public School in their neighborhood. As a result, we continue to see growth throughout the north side areas and in particular at Sarah Rawson Smith, Morris Brandon and Warren T. Jackson Elementary Schools. These school campuses have exceeded their planning capacity. In order to address this situation on a long term basis, staff is recommending a plan that will continue to offer the same high quality learning environment for students while causing the least disruption for families.
Sarah Rawson Smith
Create a new primary center for students in kindergarten and first grade. We have tentatively identified a piece of property in the Smith zone and are in negotiations with the property owner. It is our plan that the primary center will be ready for occupancy mid-year 2009-2010. Until then, kindergarten students will continue to be accommodated at the Kindergarten Center located at 4100 Roswell Road.
Warren T. Jackson
Maintain the current primary center for students in kindergarten and first grade located at 4191 Northside Drive (former Tuxedo building). Renovations and addition to the current facility will be performed and completed by the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year.
Morris Brandon
Create a primary center for students in kindergarten and first grade. This primary center will be located at the former Margaret Mitchell Elementary School located at 2845 Margaret Mitchell Drive, with plans to open at the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year. Students currently located in the Mitchell building will be relocated to Peterson Elementary School for the beginning of the 2008-2009 school year. This will allow the district time to perform the necessary renovations and additions to the Mitchell facility.
Attendance zones
Sarah Rawson Smith
No change to the current attendance zone is recommended
Warren T. Jackson
Students currently in Jackson’s attendance zone who live west of I75 and south and east of Nancy Creek to Collier Road, will move to Morris Brandon at the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year. These changes are necessary because of the location of the Morris Brandon primary center.
Morris Brandon
Students currently attending Morris Brandon who live in the area described as follows: Northside Parkway as the southern and western boundary, Arden Road as the eastern boundary and West Paces Ferry as the northern boundary will be moved to Warren T. Jackson at the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year to equalize enrollment at Brandon and Jackson.
Specific street maps will be available at Brandon and Jackson and on our website on January 14th.
Grandfathering
Students currently enrolled at Brandon and Jackson will be grandfathered into those schools and may continue to attend those schools through matriculation. No transportation will be provided by the district for grandfathered students. Parents will be responsible for providing their own transportation. Students attending kindergarten in the 2009-2010 school year will go to their new schools.
We believe that creating permanent primary centers for these three schools will address the overcrowding in that area for the foreseeable future. It has been our experience at Sarah Smith and now at Jackson that providing an environment geared specially to primary aged children creates the optimal learning experience. You are welcome to visit either of these locations so that you can see first hand how truly engaging a primary center can be for students, parents and teachers.
A public meeting on these recommendations will be held on January 22, 2008 at 7:00pm at North Atlanta High School, 2875 Northside Drive.
North Side Cluster of Elementary Schools
Over the last several years, more and more families are choosing to attend the Atlanta Public School in their neighborhood. As a result, we continue to see growth throughout the north side areas and in particular at Sarah Rawson Smith, Morris Brandon and Warren T. Jackson Elementary Schools. These school campuses have exceeded their planning capacity. In order to address this situation on a long term basis, staff is recommending a plan that will continue to offer the same high quality learning environment for students while causing the least disruption for families.
Sarah Rawson Smith
Create a new primary center for students in kindergarten and first grade. We have tentatively identified a piece of property in the Smith zone and are in negotiations with the property owner. It is our plan that the primary center will be ready for occupancy mid-year 2009-2010. Until then, kindergarten students will continue to be accommodated at the Kindergarten Center located at 4100 Roswell Road.
Warren T. Jackson
Maintain the current primary center for students in kindergarten and first grade located at 4191 Northside Drive (former Tuxedo building). Renovations and addition to the current facility will be performed and completed by the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year.
Morris Brandon
Create a primary center for students in kindergarten and first grade. This primary center will be located at the former Margaret Mitchell Elementary School located at 2845 Margaret Mitchell Drive, with plans to open at the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year. Students currently located in the Mitchell building will be relocated to Peterson Elementary School for the beginning of the 2008-2009 school year. This will allow the district time to perform the necessary renovations and additions to the Mitchell facility.
Attendance zones
Sarah Rawson Smith
No change to the current attendance zone is recommended
Warren T. Jackson
Students currently in Jackson’s attendance zone who live west of I75 and south and east of Nancy Creek to Collier Road, will move to Morris Brandon at the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year. These changes are necessary because of the location of the Morris Brandon primary center.
Morris Brandon
Students currently attending Morris Brandon who live in the area described as follows: Northside Parkway as the southern and western boundary, Arden Road as the eastern boundary and West Paces Ferry as the northern boundary will be moved to Warren T. Jackson at the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year to equalize enrollment at Brandon and Jackson.
Specific street maps will be available at Brandon and Jackson and on our website on January 14th.
Grandfathering
Students currently enrolled at Brandon and Jackson will be grandfathered into those schools and may continue to attend those schools through matriculation. No transportation will be provided by the district for grandfathered students. Parents will be responsible for providing their own transportation. Students attending kindergarten in the 2009-2010 school year will go to their new schools.
We believe that creating permanent primary centers for these three schools will address the overcrowding in that area for the foreseeable future. It has been our experience at Sarah Smith and now at Jackson that providing an environment geared specially to primary aged children creates the optimal learning experience. You are welcome to visit either of these locations so that you can see first hand how truly engaging a primary center can be for students, parents and teachers.
A public meeting on these recommendations will be held on January 22, 2008 at 7:00pm at North Atlanta High School, 2875 Northside Drive.
