Eastover Elementary Rezoning (neighborhood, private school, where to live)

[stlterp]

This issue is about to get even louder...the MP issue is already a big issue, but now one of the options for Eastover Elementary is to zone most of the Dilworth neighborhood to First Ward. Should be interesting....I dare say that Eastover to First Ward would be a much bigger difference than MPHS to East Meck.

Another option is to swap Eastover and MP Traditional's buildings....leaving the boundaries alone.

Of course, only a few short years ago, Eastover was drastically underutilized, and now it's overcrowded.

http://www.cms.k12.nc.us/cmsdepartme...on%20FINAL.pdf

[anifani821]

I know this has to be very stressful for parents who moved into specific areas b/c of the schools. I always chose where to live based on the schools.

Did they change some of the zoning to allow for mult-family housing - or what? I am trying to figure out why the huge # of kids when enrollment was so low just a few years ago? It seems to much of a jump to be accounted for by single family dwellings.

[Nativechief]

Whats wrong with going to first ward? A short ride and if its a good school dont worry.The kids will be safe..Lets work together to support our school team..

[lumbollo]

Originally Posted by Nativechief

Whats wrong with going to first ward? A short ride and if its a good school dont worry.The kids will be safe..Lets work together to support our school team..

I should imagine they don't like it because most of the kids at FWE are Black whereas most at Eastover are White. it's like it was when they integrated the schools.

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This is why I keep saying there is no such thing as a municipal "zoning" for school kids in Mecklenburg. CMS can re-assign students in an arbitrary manner whereas if this was based on zoning, the city would have a much more difficult time making changes.

[stlterp]

Originally Posted by anifani821

I know this has to be very stressful for parents who moved into specific areas b/c of the schools. I always chose where to live based on the schools.

Did they change some of the zoning to allow for mult-family housing - or what? I am trying to figure out why the huge # of kids when enrollment was so low just a few years ago? It seems to much of a jump to be accounted for by single family dwellings.

Guessing it's a combination of a ton of new young families, as well as formerly private school families going public. I could be wrong, but I don't think much is from new multi-family housing.

I think the big issue is that First Ward is currently a high-poverty (82% Free/Reduced lunch vs 17% at Eastover) and extremely low performing.

[baybook]

This is interesting to see play out. When the issue was first presented many complained that the board was really trying to change the racial composition of certain schools. iow another form of forced integration. Now, as I learn more, it seems that certain schools are actually over crowded based on the changing demographics of the surrounding community.

I'm just wondering what solution would be acceptable to those impacted when the issue does appear to be overcrowding.

[stlterp]

In the case of Eastover, it really is overcrowded. From what I've been
told, because they lack the space for trailers, there are actually classrooms set up in the auditorium (but a pretty good setup, apparently). I think the Eastover people would have preferred one of the following options

1) Re-zone a portion for Cotswold Elementary. Apparently, this was proposed a few years ago, and it was the people at Cotswold already who protested.

2) Eliminate Dilworth Elementary as an arts magnet, and turn it into a neighborhood school which would draw from a portion of the current Eastover zone.

From what I understand, Eastover used to be a fairly marginal school, until the recent population boom. Then, you had a bunch of educated, involved parents who helped turn the school around. That is a key ingredient for success for any school - however, the problem with the First Ward plan is that it's a fairly limited number of current Eastover students who would go, 100 or so, and maybe not enough of a critical mass to make a big different - especially considering that many parents would likely choose to move or go the private route vs First Ward.

[stlterp]

This is on the agenda tonight for the BofE meeting, along with the Myers Park-East Meck issue. Should be a wild scene there tonight, with parents organizing on many different fronts/sides.

As far as Eastover, the basic issue is that it is the only neighborhood school for a huge area (Dilworth, Myers Park, Eastover, Elizabeth and Cherry, among others) while there are 3 magnets in the Eastover zone. Unforunately, none of the proposed solutions to the crowding issue at Eastover result in the creation of a second neighborhood school.