More than a hundred people, most of them parents of Lexington students, gathered at Bryan Station High School Thursday night. Concerned residents got the opportunity to weigh in on the Fayette School System's student re-districting program.
Primarily parents gathered in groups to examine proposed school boundaries and offer reactions to rezoning committee members. Jennifer Rock has a three and a half year old son, who will start school when the new lines become effective in 2016. She believes the school board has given the rezoning committee a tall task. "They want to balance free and reduced lunch numbers, but then they want neighborhood schools and so I think they gave them a very idealistic idea of 'oh, this sounds great on paper,' but it cannot be done really, when it comes down to it," said Rock.
Rezoning Committee Chair Alan Stein told concerned parents that no final decisions have been made. Bill Wilson is the father of a middle school daughter. "In our area, there were no schools out here when we came ten years ago," said Wilson. "They've built three, three-four. And those are just like elementary schools."
The working plan, scheduled for implementation in the fall of 2016, would affect about 5,500 Lexington students. Lafayette Freshman Nathan Hampton sat at one of many listening tables. He admits shifting to another school would not sit well with him. "I'd probably be a little frustrated in terms of, I mean I obviously don't want to leave my school and my friends so I think it would be just a big nuisance honestly," explained Hampton.
Attendance Analyst Bob Joyce says it's been about 13 years since the last countywide rezoning consideration. He says there's the need for several adjustments in different areas. Final recommendations are expected to be presented to the Fayette County School Board this spring.?
