‘Proximity’ plan set for vote by school board

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

A vote on a long-in-the-works plan to assign elementary school children to schools closer to home is expected to come before the Lee County School Board on Feb 7

The new proximity plan would have an immediate impact on incoming kindergarten students, elementary students new to the district and rising elementary students living outside of the current school’s proximity attendance zone and needing transportation

The district currently assigns students through a zoned, lottery-based School Choice program Parents rank schools within their assigned zone with most students assigned to one of their top choices

The long-standing program has become more and more challenging due to transportation staffing and cost issues

“What it will do is provide us to get our school children to school on time Every year a kindergarten class gets on board (it will) clear more past existing transportation routes It is the right step and direction at this time I believe,” Superintendent Dr Christopher Bernier told the board last week

Superintendent’s Office Coordinator Dr Adam Molloy said the proximity draft plan has new attendance zones that were developed by Davis Demographics On average, there would be a reduction of choices from 12 to four schools It also would provide a reduction of 100 square miles of the school district’s transportation

“All rising elementary students are provided the option to continue to attend current schools Transportation is provided if current schools are within new proximity boundaries The grandfather enrollment window will run prior to the new proximity lottery,” Molloy said

There was also an update related to self-contained ESE programs and students that they will maintain the current enrollment and district transportation

The board also talked about K-8 academies, as it holds kindergarten through fifth-grade students The proximity plan would only impact those K-5 student levels

“There are currently no admission programs at the K-5