Discussion of items on May 2, 2007 agenda.
#7 pull no conflict with coalition with large school districts that we just joined.
#9 pull Hugh Holt has sent a letter to the board. Has to do with terms of the contracts. Indya Kincannon said she has a problem that we can not come to terms with a company that does business in 50 states. I do not like getting a letter the day of the meeting. In the last paragraph it says if this doesn’t work look at the competitor. It appears we are dragging our feet. Law Director John Owings said there is concern.
#17 pull add #3B Special presentation of SCOPE Karns High
Item #8 Dr. Murphy asked what the effective date of grandfather siblings would be. Effective 6th – 12th grade in 2008-2009 school year. Those children would have opportunity to grandfather. Only those siblings enrolled in high school.
Indya Kincannon explained her amendment keep Spring Hill community in Fulton zone. Amendment is not about racism, classism. It is not to avoiding A-E. Spring Hill is not in my district so they can not vote for or against me. This is about equal distance between the two schools.
Cindy Buttry said in her opinion the siblings recommendation needs to come in the form of a policy. It needs to be clear this is for High School only. We will face this issue when we rezone the elementary / middle school rezoning. We will have pocket rezonings in the future and it needs to happen for every future rezoning not just this one because it is a massive countywide rezoning. PRZ if it is policy, needs to be a policy change. I want to ensure we are following policy.We are setting a precedent. Our job is to set policy.
What is the impact of cost to transportation? Superintendent Mullins said They are looking at what it takes once the zones are implemented. It is anticipated to be a wash. For the MPC the numbers given for HVHS. Did they adjust for the new zone? The Representative of MPC explained the Traffice Analysis Zones. We aggregated the small TAZ’s to the new boundary lines. Buttry said the new zones for KHS is City and no room to grow. For the area at HVHS is already developing out. I find it hard to believe that HVHS will only grow by 100 students in 10 years.
Sam Anderson responded to the question about the sibling policy. Policy is only 5 votes of the board. 5 votes can change the policy just as it take 5 votes to pass it. It has a history no permanency. On transportation, we pay by miles. We pay so many miles. If one bus runs 42 miles and we pay 50 miles. We can add 7 miles to the bus route without it costing anymore dollars. It is not important for one side to win and one to lose.
Rex Stooksbury said that his remarks would be to the 7th district. The current proposed plan for Powell and Central move 332 into Powell, 248 out. He asked Powell administration if they could handle the growth they indicated that they could. His ammendment is to rezone a specific number of 89 into Powell from Central. Only impact Powell and Central. Sam Anderson asked will you get with Superintendent and have that placed on a map before the vote.
Karen Carson asked that all ammedments be given to board in advance of Wednesday’s meeting. Indya Kincannon – asked 321 from Central to Powell? Rex Stooksbury said accept 83 students at Powell. Dr. Grubb and his staff would have to identify the 83 students. 129 to Karns 120 to Central. Superintendent Mullins said This has to do with re-alignment with Greshem and Northwest Middle’s zones.
Thomas Deakins said I want to redefine the subdivisions West of Everett Road as well as the Ridgeland subdivisions will remain in FHS zone. This is not about the Town of Farragut staying together, it is about disrupting a feeder school system. Deakins said that he sees three options, 1) leave them at Farragut. 2) Wait 3-6 years, see if MPC projections are accurate in HVHS area 3) Rezone an additional area in Farragut area to move 24 %.Karen Carson asked a question of the Superintendent, would you still have the option to look at option three in a year or so, if the reccomendations are passed. Mullins said Yes. Carson said it isn’t fair to add them now. It is important to open this western border into HV. The Farragut people said at the meetings in Nov/Dec they would rather face it now not in two – three installments. Mullins said the growth appears to be in the western portion near the Loudon County line. Kincannon option three is best for me. There are some areas in the county that have perfect feeder patterns, but that is the exception. Bratton said it si about feeders. If we are going to base this on feeders , then we need to rezone feeders now. We are building from top-down (audience applause) Deakins where the growth is pushing the town is Choto Rd area which is not located in the Town of Farragut. Anderson said We started top down because we built the high school. It is logical to do it top down Deakins said 12 % of middle school. Anderson asked how many students 12% are 139 students. That is a third of Cedar Bluff student population. Anderson said we have to rezone and going to a new high school is nothing anyone has ever seen. Everyone making amendments need to bring us map and give us vey good reasons. Deakins said I am the board member that represents FHS and HVHS. I want HVHS a viable school and not diminish FHS. How many students do we really need to have to open high school? We haven’t debated that. We should have been proactive and planning and promoting this new school sooner.
Buttry said I do not plan to vote no on siblings, but I want to vote for the rezoning. Carson said They will not be broken out as it is Supt. Recommendation. Kincannon asked about Academies of high schools. Bratton asked a question of the MPC’s taz numbers. 5 years average was used, the last number was an average of the 5. Is that average beginning the first year. (Taz = there are 433 individual Taz that comprise Knox County) There is a new zoning system that is more accurate and has been funded through PEFA. The training for the system will begin within the next week.
6:48 p.m. break. Recess for 10 minutes will convene 6:58 p.m.
PUBLIC FORUM
A gentleman addressed the board regarding the West High numbers are only lowered from 81. You are sending from Farragut to Bearden 384 students why send them into an overcrowded school? You say to create educationally sound feeder patterns. If there are a number of items for consideration than will help me decide. I will consider it. More traffic, more pollution. Knoxville has recently been selected as Asthma capital of the world.
A lady addressed the board I am within spitting distance to Powell Middle. I have a problem with shipping one student 5 miles to ship another 7 miles. There are flaws to the plan.
A gentleman addressed the board I have students from Powell being rezoned to Central to be replaced by students from Central to Powell. There are feeder problems North West Middle feeds from 8-11 elementary schools. NWMS feeds A-E, Karns, West, Central. Why do we have to completely rezone the entire county. I haven’t gotten the answers that I wanted to get.
President of Kensington Subdivision addressed the board. This rezoning will be unprecedented. Have you received enough information? The Board has not had enough information. 1100 students entering BHS zones. 3000 miles per trip, 6000 miles roundtrip only for the BHS area. There will be higher transportation cost, higher insurance cost, more time on buses. Gas prices are $3.00 a gallon presently.
A gentleman addressed the board. His family enjoys a high quality life and a Christian community. We do very well getting everyone around. I travel to Karns to vote.
Extent of time spent on bus. If a child is on a bus longer than 20 minutes it is wrong.
A gentleman addressed the board. I am angry about this but will try and be a voice of reason. According to the county Mayor we don’t have an overcrowded condition we have a rezoning condition. You couldn’t buy property on George Williams Road because a few neighbors got upset and wasn’t told they will get over it, like me and my kids have been. 20 alternative plans have been targeted by the community group.
A lady addressed the board. My community is not being rezoned and I do not have children. You could avoid a lot of criticism if you involved the community. I was part of the countywide forum and advocated a new process. It will not be pleasant to be a school board member because we are not going away. I am concerned for how we are spending our scarce resources without a comprehensive plan.
A gentleman addressed the board and shared his time with a neighbor. He said that he went on vacation and came home to this. His subdivision has been recognized as a geographic unit by the City of Knoxville. 50 units banded together COK bought property that was proposed for apartments. We have never been broken up. We are asking that you move the division line to Morell Road. It would impact 19 students. The lady asked. Where did you get the PRZ zones? Will these subdivisions not have bus service? Why did you split my street?
A lady representing the Holston Hills and Chilhowee Hills area asked. Have you considered the NCLB provision for those that have a option to transfer out of low performing schools.
A gentleman addressed the board. He said there were several questions that couldn’t be answered. I took on the project to determine it. $115,000.00 for HV school buses. Fuel cost 10 -20 miles $3.00 a gallon $20 per bus per day. State mandate rule that all buses rebuilt every 7 years.
A gentleman said that he was relieved that the prz was modified. His student says if that means she will be separated from her friends and neighbors. I would rather stay with my neighbors and friends. Scrap the plan, start again.
A lady spoke and said that she esentially lives in the Bearden High backyard, in the most recent rezoning plan you are separting neighbors. Our children are the future. You school board members serve an excellent role. We have seen recently what happens when students are isolated and left alone. I am requesting a delay until you can get more information.
A gentleman addressed the board I do not have a child that will be in this plan. You are splitting our neighborhood. People must drive by my house to get to BHS while my neighbors drive past my house to WHS.
A man addressed the board he said he is the son in law of Pete Lotts. He explained how he had arrived at some numbers alternative numbers using Post Office, IRS and Department of Defense data. he explained that the school district had identified a neighborhood Lexi Landing as being in Farragut but it is actually in Powell. he said. “Mrs. Carson these numbers stink.” Editorial note: his father in law has endorsed and is supportive of Mrs. Carson. He concluded by saying how bad do the numbers have to be until they no good to you.
A gentleman addressed the board. I had calls from all over the community asking how I would be involved since I am a community activist. Where our kids attend school is less important than how we educate them. Rezone 3000 – 4000 kids in a system of 52000 will not help Knox County.
A lady addressed the board. She had attended Norwood Ele, Northwest Middle and was rezoned to Central. I never connected. I and several other parents in my neighborhood are single parents of seventh grade boys. There is nothing lower in the world than a 9th grade boys. At Rocky Hill, They were rezoned from BMS to WVMS now they are being rezoned from BHS to WHS. Please vote no.
A gentleman addressed the board. I am disappointed in responses from Knox County Schools administration in answering questions. Not all students take the bus due to after school activities. I would encourage you to drive the route from Everett to Marietta Church Rd preferably in the dark and rain. How were bus routes established?
A gentleman addressed the board. I am upset that you are spending 50 million dollars of hard earned tax dollars. As a school board member you should be able to say I have positioned Knox County to be a competitive internationally.
A lady addressed the board. Last fall the Schools had a plan that rezoned a few. How many professionals have been asked for input. Is opinion not fact used for these routes. Why is the route set before safety is determined. Use a systematic method. Because the process is flawed, the results will be flawed
A gentleman of the Spring Hill community spoke Fulton prepared his two children that are in college today, They are on the dean’s list. Please consider Mrs. Kincannon’s ammendment.
A gentleman representing Cambridge Woods subdivision addressed the board. We believed that we should buy a home where we work, go to church and attend school. I am representing my subdivision. Those are the joys you have in a community. It is a tragedy to attend a funeral of a student that died because of unsafe roads. Ride the routes to Hardin valley High School. The parents in Farragut are getting a bad rap. All parents have the same concern, He suggested making Hardin Valley a 5 – 12 school.
A gentleman addressed the board. Emotions run deep with these type issues. I graduated from Powell and live in Powell. I am proud to live in Knox County and am happy to have persons that so eloquently spoke to this issue. No concidence that our Superintendent Lindsey is not here. It appears that something is happening behind the scenes to make this proposal. There is a vote in 2 days. None of us believe that the increase in transportation believe it will not increase transportation cost.
A lady addressed the board. I am not being rezoned. I am here on principle. Feeder School and she quoteed from the 4/18/2007 presentation. I question whether you can create a high school zone in a vacuum without the Middle and Elementary Schools. You forgot the subdivisions along Fox Rd. Do you plan to zone them into FMS. I ask for your support of Thomas Deakins proposal and if you can not then vote no.
A lady addressed the board. She has a Freshman daughter at Fulton and ask that you keep the Spring Hill community in Fulton. We had concerns about Fulton. A couple that are very involved at Fukton invited she and her husband to breakfast and told us how great Fulton is. They are the best ingredients in the cake that is Fulton. Let the cake at Fulton be o.k. Wes and Marjorie are the best ingredients in the cake. If you have a plant that is wilted give it water.
A gentleman addressed the board. You are suggesting a 1950 solution to a 21st century problem. The school shouldn’t have been built in the area where it is. Look at the answers, we haven’t gotten the answers to the questions that were asked at the community forums.
A gentleman addressed the board. The plan is flawed, it needs to be fixed by bringing people in. I was involved in a countywide forum, the newspaper reported it as 100 people we counted 135 people. He sited the forum survey results. (This will be posted in a seperate post) Traffic studies have not been considered. Currnetly I live within 5 minutes utilizing secondary roads to my current zoned school, Bearden. It is 15 minutes up major roads to the newly zoned school, west. There are alternative plans that need to be considered. Open enrollment. Please vote NO.
No other business the meeting adjourned at 8:57 p.m.
