COLUMBIA COUNTY, Ga. (WJBF) – The Columbia County Board of Education is considering a rezoning plan that could impact hundreds of students.
The closure of South Columbia Elementary and the opening of Westmont Elementary will impact five other elementary schools, and parents have mixed feelings about it.
“That’s the first time that I’ve heard about this zoning for a new school, so basically like it’s like we were kept in the dark,” said Jeffrey Boja, an Evans Elementary parent. Boja lives in an area that would be rezoned for Westmont Elementary.
The school board has had three public presentations about the rezoning plan, and will have a final one Tuesday night.
Still, many parents we spoke to were not aware of it.
“Our initial reaction as parents is like ‘what?!’ But, of course we want the best for our kids,” Boja said. “We want to understand what this new arrangement will be, we want to know the details and that’s what we don’t have right now.”
Some students in neighborhoods originally zoned for Evans will be switching to Westmont Elementary.
“At first I wasn’t sure how I felt about it, but I’ve looked up the grade schools rating, and they seem to have really good ratings,” said Megan Montenegro, an Evans Elementary parent. “So, now we’re just trying to be positive and get excited about it. Plus it’s a brand school so we’re excited.”
Other students that live along roads like Cutter Mill and Perry Mill Circle will be moving to Westmont from Brookwood Elementary.
“It breaks my heart the thought of our first grader being pulled out of there and going somewhere else, this is her third year there, it’s all she knows,” said Kathleen Anderson, a Brookwood Elementary parent. She didn’t know about the rezoning possibility until Monday.
“I’m perfectly fine with it,” said Kim Crawford, another Brookwood Elementary parent. “I realize we live in a heavily populated area and we’re going to continuously be rezoned, so you know I’m okay with it.”
The school board will vote on the plan after its meeting Tuesday night.
