LA PLATA, Md.—The Board of Education recently approved opening St. Charles High School as a partial high school with grades 9, 10 and 11 when it opens in August 2014. Seniors in the class of 2015 would finish and graduate from their current high school.
The decision eliminated three other opening options and allows the high school redistricting process to begin. The Board hopes to approve a final redistricting plan by June 2013, but the plan will not be implemented until August 2014 when the new high school opens. The high school redistricting will be comprehensive, establish an attendance zone for St. Charles High School, include review and alteration of attendance zones for all high schools and impact students who are now in grades 7, 8 and 9.
The plan, previously identified as Option 2, establishes an attendance zone for St. Charles High School and requires all students entering grades 9, 10 and 11 in 2014 to attend the new high school based on the new attendance boundaries. All rising seniors in the new attendance zone will remain at their current high school for their senior year and the school system will provide transportation.
The redistricting will also modify attendance zones for Henry E. Lackey High School, La Plata High School, Maurice J. McDonough High School, North Point High School, Thomas Stone High School and Westlake High School. Through redistricting, high school enrollments will be targeted to near state-rated capacity. The plan requires all students entering grades 9, 10 and 11 in August 2014 to attend the high school specified in the newly established attendance boundaries. Students entering grade 12 in August 2014 will remain at their current high school for their senior year.
In accepting Option 2, Board members said they felt it provides instant overcrowding relief at all high schools, especially North Point, and it does not disrupt seniors. Additionally, it opens St. Charles as a high school as intended and allows for growth.
The Board is accepting applications for community members without children in the Charles County public school system to serve on the redistricting committee. Deadline to apply as a community member is Oct. 5. Schools are accepting parent names for possible inclusion on the committee. Call the school for individual deadlines. The school system will select 10 parents, two each from the elementary and middle school levels, and six from the high schools, to serve on the committee. Additionally, three community members will on the committee. Each high school will submit one name for the committee. The Superintendent of Schools and the Board will publicly draw the names of the two elementary parents, two middle school parents and three community members at the Oct. 9 meeting.
For more information about Option 2, the upcoming high school redistricting process or an application for community members, visit http://www2.ccboe.com/parentscomm/transportation/hsredistricting.cfm.
Questions about the process can be sent to redistrict@cccboe.com or call 301-934-7221.
Source: Charles County public school system