THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, September 25, 1996 TAG: 9609250406
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY ANNE SAITA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ELIZABETH CITY LENGTH: 62 lines
A decision on redistricting elementary and middle school children in Elizabeth City and Pasquotank County has been delayed until spring.
The Board of Education on Monday night decided unanimously to wait until a $20 million school construction plan was closer to completion and spring enrollment figures were available before deciding where students will attend classes next year.
Some board members made it clear that the delay in no way meant they were giving in to protesting parents.
``I think what's happened tonight shows that we hear what people are saying,'' said Marion Harris Jr., chairman of the board.
He then chastised parents who have ``run down'' certain schools that their children are slated to attend next year. ``I don't want our vote to be interpreted that we don't support all the schools in our county,'' Harris said.
Board member Matt Wood also said he hesitated before voting in favor of the delay.
``My support for this motion in no way affirms those statements that have been made,'' he said.
This summer, the school board unveiled its proposed realignment plan for Weeksville, Pasquotank, Central, Sawyer-Trigg, Sheep-Harney, P.W. Moore and Northside elementary schools.
School officials say the main reason for the redistricting is to make room for a growing student population, which has increased by an average of three classrooms annually during the past few years.
Most of that growth has come - and apparently continues to come - from the northern and southern ends of the county.
As part of the systemwide construction plan, sixth graders will be moved from elementary schools and put in two middle schools. One will be the new River Road Middle School scheduled to open in August 1997.
Enrollment this year is up at the already crowded Weeksville and Northside county schools. Elsewhere inside Elizabeth City limits, school populations are steady or slightly down from last year, a board member said.
``So that just reaffirms the problem we have to struggle with,'' said Pat McDowell, who also chaired the committee that created the proposed new school lines.
McDowell said that school building projects will be closer to completion by next spring, when discussions on redistricting will resume. Currently, work at all campuses is behind schedule.
Projected enrollment figures for next fall also will be more accurate by next spring, he said.
During a July public hearing and two subsequent school board meetings, parents overwhelmingly have spoken against the plan.
Most opponents are parents of current Weeksville and Northside schoolchildren who next fall are scheduled to be bused to Pasquotank and Sheep-Harney schools.
Concerns included adjustments for rural children entering urban schools, longer bus rides, poor performing city schools and redistricting's impact on property values.
On Monday, a parent asked for another public hearing to be held while school was in session.
Some affected families were on vacation during the last hearing, and others did not learn about the proposals until school began last month, he said. by CNB