To: FCSBOE Planning Committee, Planning Committee, Linda Schultz, FCSBOE President, Katie Reeves, FCS Board Member, Linda Bryant, FCS Board Member, Julia Bernath, FCS Board Member, Linda McCain, FCS Board Member, Gail Dean, FCS Board Member,...
North Fulton County Schools: If Redistricting, Select Plan B
To the Fulton County Schools Operational Planning Department: Keep our children safe by redistricting according to North Fulton Redistricting - Elementary School Alternative Plan B!
As your constituents and taxpayers, we ask for your strong consideration in implementing PLAN B as this is the only one of your three proposed plans that will NOT harm our children and neighborhoods!
We, the undersigned, residents and/or owners
(1) would prefer that no Fulton County School elementary school redistricting occur for our neighborhoods, however if it must,
(2) are in support of North Fulton Redistricting-Elementary School Alternative Plan B for the Study Areas 328A (Whitehall), 341A (Darien Park), 3060 (Hawkins Cove), 3340 (Windsor Forest/Bent Grass, New Haven Walk), 3380 (Grand Veridian, Chatham, Windsor), and
(3) oppose Elementary School Alternative Plan A and Plan C.
We urge the members of the Fulton County Schools Operational Planning Department to utilize Elementary School Alternative Plan B when preparing the next redistricting map for the Forum on December 10, 2014 and for the final map recommendation to the Fulton County Board of Education for the following reasons that you are mandated to consider:
Geographic Proximity -
*Our children's safety is of utmost concern.
*Plan B places the children in our neighborhoods at their closest elementary school, avoiding the extended commute times which are up to triple the distance for some of our neighborhoods under the other plans.
*Plan B's close proximity allows students to walk to and from school, if necessary, and is also imperative for any emergency dismissals and medical concerns.
*Plan B's shorter drive lowers the risk of accidents.
*Close Geographic Proximity (a known factor) should outweigh Projected Enrollment (a speculative and uncertain factor) which will be altered by the many new residential developments on the horizon due to Roswell's new Unified Development Code which allows higher residential densities.
Traffic Patterns -
*Plan B is significantly safer for our children in terms of traffic/transportation.
*Plan B avoids traffic patterns that would place our elementary school children in some of the most dangerous intersections in Roswell, namely a) Mansell Road and Highway 9 (Alpharetta Highway), b) Holcomb Bridge Road and Highway 9 (Alpharetta Highway), and c) Crabapple Road and Highway 92. The below article discusses these highways and although it is from 2012, the situation has worsened, not improved. http://www.whistleblowerlawyerblawg.com/2012/11/dangerous-intersections-in-roswell-georgia.html
*Traffic patterns are negatively impacted by traffic accidents. Plan B is favorable with a significantly lower traffic accident rate and less traffic congestion than Plan A and Plan C and avoids the crossing of any major highways. A lengthier drive increases the risk of accidents.
* Plan B preserves our short travel time which for many of us is less than 5 minutes. We strongly disagree with Plan A & Plan C which require our students to cross major highways with significantly greater traffic congestion and travel time; and we would be adding to and subject to the gridlock that already exists at those major intersections.
Instructional Capacity:
*Plan B best aligns Projected Enrollment with Classrooms Needed based on analysis of the Fulton County Schools - Round 2 Handout (Corrected) for 2018-2019 for the schools where our neighborhoods would be districted under Plan B (Hembree Springs and Sweet Apple). Plan A and Plan C provide a poorer alignment thereby creating a greater Classroom excess/shortage.
School Feeder Alignment -
*Plan B is consistent with this objective which places the children in our neighborhoods into elementary schools that feed into the same middle school, building a stronger community.
We also consider neighborhood groupings to be extremely important to our neighborhood's families. Plan B maximizes the value of neighborhoods that currently share community children's activities, relationships, resources, and sports.
For the above reasons and as mandated by Fulton County School's criteria, we must respectfully insist that our neighborhoods (if redistricted) are only redistricted under
Plan B.
Sincerely,
Concerned students, neighbors, parents, grandparents, taxpayers and constituents.
As your constituents and taxpayers, we ask for your strong consideration in implementing PLAN B as this is the only one of your three proposed plans that will NOT harm our children and neighborhoods!
We, the undersigned, residents and/or owners
(1) would prefer that no Fulton County School elementary school redistricting occur for our neighborhoods, however if it must,
(2) are in support of North Fulton Redistricting-Elementary School Alternative Plan B for the Study Areas 328A (Whitehall), 341A (Darien Park), 3060 (Hawkins Cove), 3340 (Windsor Forest/Bent Grass, New Haven Walk), 3380 (Grand Veridian, Chatham, Windsor), and
(3) oppose Elementary School Alternative Plan A and Plan C.
We urge the members of the Fulton County Schools Operational Planning Department to utilize Elementary School Alternative Plan B when preparing the next redistricting map for the Forum on December 10, 2014 and for the final map recommendation to the Fulton County Board of Education for the following reasons that you are mandated to consider:
Geographic Proximity -
*Our children's safety is of utmost concern.
*Plan B places the children in our neighborhoods at their closest elementary school, avoiding the extended commute times which are up to triple the distance for some of our neighborhoods under the other plans.
*Plan B's close proximity allows students to walk to and from school, if necessary, and is also imperative for any emergency dismissals and medical concerns.
*Plan B's shorter drive lowers the risk of accidents.
*Close Geographic Proximity (a known factor) should outweigh Projected Enrollment (a speculative and uncertain factor) which will be altered by the many new residential developments on the horizon due to Roswell's new Unified Development Code which allows higher residential densities.
Traffic Patterns -
*Plan B is significantly safer for our children in terms of traffic/transportation.
*Plan B avoids traffic patterns that would place our elementary school children in some of the most dangerous intersections in Roswell, namely a) Mansell Road and Highway 9 (Alpharetta Highway), b) Holcomb Bridge Road and Highway 9 (Alpharetta Highway), and c) Crabapple Road and Highway 92. The below article discusses these highways and although it is from 2012, the situation has worsened, not improved. http://www.whistleblowerlawyerblawg.com/2012/11/dangerous-intersections-in-roswell-georgia.html
*Traffic patterns are negatively impacted by traffic accidents. Plan B is favorable with a significantly lower traffic accident rate and less traffic congestion than Plan A and Plan C and avoids the crossing of any major highways. A lengthier drive increases the risk of accidents.
* Plan B preserves our short travel time which for many of us is less than 5 minutes. We strongly disagree with Plan A & Plan C which require our students to cross major highways with significantly greater traffic congestion and travel time; and we would be adding to and subject to the gridlock that already exists at those major intersections.
Instructional Capacity:
*Plan B best aligns Projected Enrollment with Classrooms Needed based on analysis of the Fulton County Schools - Round 2 Handout (Corrected) for 2018-2019 for the schools where our neighborhoods would be districted under Plan B (Hembree Springs and Sweet Apple). Plan A and Plan C provide a poorer alignment thereby creating a greater Classroom excess/shortage.
School Feeder Alignment -
*Plan B is consistent with this objective which places the children in our neighborhoods into elementary schools that feed into the same middle school, building a stronger community.
We also consider neighborhood groupings to be extremely important to our neighborhood's families. Plan B maximizes the value of neighborhoods that currently share community children's activities, relationships, resources, and sports.
For the above reasons and as mandated by Fulton County School's criteria, we must respectfully insist that our neighborhoods (if redistricted) are only redistricted under
Plan B.
Sincerely,
Concerned students, neighbors, parents, grandparents, taxpayers and constituents.
Why is this important?
OUR CHILDREN'S SAFETY IS AT RISK! IT IS CRITICAL FOR NEIGHBORHOODS BELOW TO SIGN THIS PETITION!
(Chatham, Darien Park, Hawkins Cove, Grand Veridian, New Haven Walk, Whitehall, Windsor, and Windsor Forest/Bent Grass)
Fulton County Schools has started the process of evaluating redistricting options for North Fulton County. In November, they released 3 potential maps and only one of these options is acceptable to most residents in the Houze Way / Houze Rd corridor. Plan B places our children at either Hembree Springs or Sweet Apple Elementary (depending on neighborhood), both excellent and the closest schools safely nestled AWAY FROM the dangerous, high traffic boundaries of Crossville Rd, Alpharetta Highway, and Mansell Rd. Plan A would place our children at Roswell North Elementary and Plan C would place them at Mimosa Elementary. We believe that Plan B provides our children the best education at their closest and safest school, providing the least issues in terms of instructional capacity. We urge our neighbors to sign the petition to ensure that our voices are heard when the final draft proposal for redistricting is made public on December 10.
(Chatham, Darien Park, Hawkins Cove, Grand Veridian, New Haven Walk, Whitehall, Windsor, and Windsor Forest/Bent Grass)
Fulton County Schools has started the process of evaluating redistricting options for North Fulton County. In November, they released 3 potential maps and only one of these options is acceptable to most residents in the Houze Way / Houze Rd corridor. Plan B places our children at either Hembree Springs or Sweet Apple Elementary (depending on neighborhood), both excellent and the closest schools safely nestled AWAY FROM the dangerous, high traffic boundaries of Crossville Rd, Alpharetta Highway, and Mansell Rd. Plan A would place our children at Roswell North Elementary and Plan C would place them at Mimosa Elementary. We believe that Plan B provides our children the best education at their closest and safest school, providing the least issues in terms of instructional capacity. We urge our neighbors to sign the petition to ensure that our voices are heard when the final draft proposal for redistricting is made public on December 10.