OHR Community Meeting Tonight

Oldhouse Run neighbors will be holding a community meeting on Tuesday, Dec 30 regarding the current HCPS redistricting. Along with viewing and discussing the 3 draft high school boundary maps, we will also address the Community Forums coming up January 5-7 and the ongoing redistricting process.

NOTE: We will have a member of the Redistricting Committee in attendance to discuss the maps and hear our ideas and concerns.

Meeting information is as follows:

Tuesday, December 30
7:30-8:30pm

Tuckahoe Public Library
(TU Meeting Room)
1901 Starling Drive
Henrico, VA 23229

Right now the maps being considered have OHR drawn out of Godwin completely! Two scenarios have us at Freeman, one at Tucker.

If we have any hope of fighting this and staying at Godwin, we need full community support and participation in the process.

To learn more and to get involved, please plan to join us for this meeting on Dec 30.

Revised High School Boundary Maps Online

The updated high school district maps have been posted to the HCPS website. Click here to view.

These are the maps to be reviewed and commented on by the public at Community Forums taking place January 5-7.

Of the 3 maps, two scenarios move us to Freeman - one puts us at Tucker. OHR has been removed from the Godwin district completely!

We must continue to contact County school officials urging them to keep OHR at Godwin. The Community Forums in early January are our next focus, and we will need strong participation among residents!

To organize, we will be hosting a neighborhood meeting on Tuesday, December 30 from 7:30-8:30 PM at the Tuckahoe Library. We will hear from invited members of the High School Redistricting Subcommittee (Godwin reps) on the redistricting process, as well as discuss the maps and HCPS Community Forums. Residents are strongly encouraged to attend.

For your reference, the proposed Elementary and Middle School maps have also been posted.

RTD: School-boundary proposals ready for review

There was a brief write up in Sunday's Times-Dispatch regarding the HCPS Redistricting.

When asked how the process was going, Pat Kinlaw (Asst. Superintendent for Administrative Services) was quoted as saying, "There are neighborhoods organizing to express concerns and offer feedback, and that's what we want."

So, let's give them what they want. If we are going to keep OHR at Godwin we must continue to participate in the public process and express our opinions to County officials.

If you haven't already, please write an email to our leaders and plan to attend the Community Forums coming up January 5-7.

Stand up! Speak up!

New High School District Maps Online!

The High School Redistricting Subcommittee met last week to adjust the new boundary maps and approve the drafts to be reviewed during the Community Forums taking place January 5-7.

Representatives from neighborhoods along the Pemberton corridor were there in force - with at least 13 OHR residents among the 20 or so members of the public in attendance.

After several hours of discussion (and number crunching) the subcommittee presented 3 draft maps - NONE of which keep OHR at Godwin! In fact, the scenarios have our entire corridor going to either Freeman (2 maps) or Tucker (1 map).

HCPS will be posting these maps online later today. Click here to view.

If we have any chance of staying at Godwin, it is critical that we all attend and participate in the Community Forums coming up January 5-7. The public will be allowed to view the maps up close and leave written comment. The feedback received during these forums will be taken into consideration as the subcommittee prepares the FINAL map for the School Board to consider.

OHR needs a BIG turnout for the meetings!

Stay tuned for more info on the forums. Meantime, mark your calendar with these important dates.

Monday, January 5
6:00-7:30 PM
Hermitage High School
8301 Hungary Spring Road

Tuesday, January 6
6:00-7:30 PM
Elko Middle School
5901 Elko Road

Wednesday, January 7
6:00-7:30 PM
Godwin High School
2101 Pump Road

Letter from Scott & Kim Kerr

Ladies and Gentlemen;

My husband and I were in attendance of the high school sub committee meeting at Wilder Middle School on December 17th. Our concern is that our neighborhood, Oldhouse Run (Census Tract # 0620819) which currently falls within the Godwin school zone is being moved out of that zone on the current maps.

We hope that you will kindly consider keeping our neighborhood and the entire Pemberton Corridor within the Godwin boundaries.

I have a better understanding of the process after attending the meeting, and think that over all, everyone was trying to do the right thing. I also gathered that one of your goals was to minimize the amount of disruption, by only moving the boundaries that are deemed neccessary.

To meet those intentions of the redistricting project by minimizing the amount ofchange, I think that to move our neighborhood from its current school, just to move another one in, you are, in actuality, disrupting two communities. Since Godwin is not currently at capacity, it would be less disruptive to move those on the boundaries fringe into Godwin district and keeping all those already within the boundaries where they are now zoned.

The Pemberton Corridor, according to the census numbers, has 106 high school students, that is roughly 26 students per grade. Please reconsider your lines and allow these kids to stay at their school. Many of our children enjoy the continuity of the strings, band and choral programs as well as the athletics from Byrd to Godwin. The relationships with kids they play football and baseball with, serve in student government and have classes together, are important to them. It is imperative to them to remain at Godwin and finish high school with these friends.

I know you may not hear it often, but my husband and I appreciate the time and effort all of the volunteers have dedicated to this process. I know it is a huge task and I know that everyone will not be happy with all of the results. I just hope that you will hear our plea to allow our small group of kids to remain at Godwin, where they belong. It just makes sense.

Thank You,

Warm regards,

Scott and Kim Kerr
Census Tract # 0620819

Letter from Terri Lancaster (in response to Lisa Marshall)

Good Morning Mrs. Marshall,

Thank you for your reply regarding my concerns. I wasn't sure if anyone even received my e-mail since I have not had a single response to my letter from anyone on the committee. That does disturb me. I also find it hard to sit back and do nothing while this process speeds on by without the public knowing about it. We are people with a vested interest in our children's education. Since you are not technically involved in the process, and the people who are don't respond to my concerns, who then do I turn to?

I do have a story that matters. My daughter Sarah is a 7th grader at Byrd Middle school. She has Down Syndrome which makes her life much harder than yours or mine. She has friends in Pindale Farms, Gates Head, Springtree and Rockstone that she has always gone to school with. Sarah has always ridden the bus with and gone to school with her typical peers. This is her life. As a parent I can send her to school and know that the bus driver who has know her for 7 years will look out for her. I know the students that have been in class with her know how to help her through times of confusion. I know these peers will get help for her when she needs it. Sarah's life is being part of her community and going to school with her neighbors. It has taken us years to develop these relationships and they mean everything to Sarah. How can I stand idly by and allow this committee to destroy Sarah's world. We are the real people that are being affected.

Below is Sarah with her Dad. She is a resident in Oldhouse Run and wants to remain with her peers along the Pemberton Road corridor. Please keep our children at Godwin. Do not rezone our neighborhood to Tucker!!!!!!!

Sincerely,

Terri Lancaster
9601 January Way
census number 0620819

Worth Repeating - Email County Officials TODAY!

The citizen committee tasked with drafting the school boundaries is meeting this Wednesday, December 17 to finalize maps. Now is the time to contact these people and ask them to keep OHR in Godwin district.

PLEASE - write a short note and email it to the following people:

Citizen Advisory Committee:
jfranz@henrico.k12.va.us
eshepard@henrico.k12.va.us
trich@henrico.k12.va.us
mnhedrick1@henrico.k12.va.us
teadams@henrico.k12.va.us
dvelasquez@henrico.k12.va.us

School Board:
schoolboard@henrico.k12.va.us
lamarshall@henrico.k12.va.us

Superintendent of Schools:
fmorton@henrico.k12.va.us

Assist Superintendent of Schools:
pckinlaw@henrico.k12.va.us

Board of Supervisors:
tuckahoe@co.henrico.va.us

All of these people NEED to hear from us!

Here are a few points to bring up in your email:

- Sense of community

- Neighborhoods and esp. driveways being dividing lines

- We do not currently even share a border w/ Tucker District

- Pemberton corridor potentially feeding 3-4 high schools

- We should not be districted out of Godwin due to over-development in the far west end

-Encourage committee members to visit our neighborhoods along with the consultant - Matt Cropper

Speak up!

Petition drive a success!

Thanks to all the volunteers that canvassed the neighborhood on a very cold Saturday morning... and thanks to all that signed the petition. All told we gathered 190 signatures! Considering there are 126 homes in OHR, that's a great return.

We plan to deliver the petitions to the County School Board office on Monday (Dec. 15).

Will keep the blog posted with any response we receive.

Letter from Kim Kerr

Dear Ms. Marshall,

I am writing to you in regards to the 2010 Boundaries issue. I am extremely concerned with the current proposed boundaries involving our community (US Census Tract 0620819). I come to you, hoping that you can support and communicate my concerns to all those involved in this process. I applied to be a part of the advisory committees, but was not selected. I am curious if it were an oversight or a strategy to keep members from this corridor off of the high school sub committee.

It was not without careful consideration and financial strain that we purchased our home in the Godwin District. We have lived in this neighborhood for 12 years and have attended plays, concerts and athletics at Godwin High School. We have invested our time and efforts into this school and our children, neighbors’ children and friends along the Pemberton corridor have helped achieve the stellar academic environment that Godwin High School offers. Our children deserve to reap the educational benefits their siblings and neighbors have set forth.

I am particularly agitated with the 4 maps that are up for consideration. I cannot fathom breaking up this area into 3 different high schools. What will happen to our sense of community? Parents who have worked side by side at bake sales and blood drives, mourned loses, celebrated victories, organized field trips and carpools, will be divided by imaginary lines. In one case, map #16, has a boundary line drawn between Oldhouse Run and Rockstone, in actuality, this line is a mere driveway, as our neighborhood and Rockstone share entrances. I would encourage all of the subcommittees and officials to tour this area, and see how our neighborhoods are inter-connected with shared roads and common areas.

Of the twelve years that I have lived here, rezoning issues have affected our community at least 3 times prior to this one. It is unfair, that even with the current proposals, we are still on a boundary line and will undoubtedly come up for rezoning once again, in the future.

My son who currently attends eighth grade at Byrd Middle, will attend 9th grade at Godwin, in 2010, under the current proposal, he will be rezoned to a different school. That is absurd. My son has an educational 504 Plan in place, he has ADHD and with this comes issues with change. He is achieving academic success and social confidence in his current situation, if this plan is carried out, his situation would be equal to starting over at square one. We have come too far to start over with his education plan.

As our elected official, I appreciate your attention and would like to hear your response to these concerns. I feel confident that this boundary debacle is not the way you would like to define your term in office. Please support Oldhouse Run and the Pemberton Corridor to STAY AT GODWIN.

Regards,

Kim Kerr

9514 Oldhouse Drive

Richmond, VA 23238

Letter from Jeff Jones

To Whom It May Concern:

As a concerned parent and community member I wish to implore you to keep our community of Old House Run in the Godwin school district when considering the new redistricting plan.

Before you make any decisions I would also ask that you please visit our communities, along with the outside consultant Mr. Cropper, to consider how you will impact real people who will be affected by this change.

I fail to see how it makes sense to disrupt long-standing communities who are not in the midst of huge growth and whose schools are not overcrowded when a problem of overdevelopment lies elsewhere.

We along Pemberton Road have built relationships with hundreds of people over the years in neighboring communities and are extremely upset that we might possibly be divided.

Again, I wish to express how I am extremely upset that communities like Old House Run, that have been here for over 25 years, might possibly be disassociated with Godwin High School. This is our community school and we have invested enormous amounts of time, energy and even our money to make it what it is today.

Thank you for your kind consideration to this matter.

Sincerely,

Jeff Jones

Jeffery C. Jones
9605 January Drive
Richmond, VA 23238

Letter from Jim Hennig

Two tenths of a mile.


Two tenths of a mile is less than one lap around the track at Mills Godwin High School. Two tenths of a mile is also the total distance between the neighborhood entrances for Oldhouse Run and it’s two adjoining neighborhoods. Yet, it is my understanding that one of the proposed redistricting maps being considered has Oldhouse Run and it’s two adjoining neighborhoods attending three different high schools. Three different high schools! And none of the four proposals has Oldhouse Run attending its current high school - Mills Godwin.


I understand that making choices for high school redistricting is a difficult task. But the recommendations and decisions being made involve so much more than making numbers on a census map “work”. Oldhouse Run and other neighborhoods on the western side of Pemberton Road have been going to Mills Godwin since the 1980's. The children, parents and families in Oldhouse Run and these neighborhoods have helped build Godwin into the successful school it is today. These results didn’t happen overnight. These children and families helped build Godwin over the last 20 years by founding and supporting the Godwin PTA; band boosters riding on long bus trips to attend competitions; athletic boosters raising funds on cold Friday nights at the football game, homeowner’s donating lumber to build a theater set, and all volunteering their personal time and finances to countless other Godwin committees, charities and events. How is it even possible to ignore over 20 years of history and not put forth even one recommendation where Oldhouse Run children will not attend Mills Godwin?


Oldhouse Run and the neighborhoods along western Pemberton Road are not natural dividing lines to satisfy a numerical goal. They are real communities with real people that have a long term history with Mills Godwin. A history that out dates many other neighborhoods now being considered for the Godwin district. In fact, out dating some of those neighborhoods not just by years, but practically decades. A history that now appears may not have been truly considered, or worse yet, ignored.


Oldhouse Run is now part of the “Godwin community”. It’s daughters and sons have always been a part of the Godwin community” and should remain as part of the “Godwin Community”. Just as Godwin was (and is) their older sister’s or brother’s school, younger children want it to remain their school. Family history and a sense of community are more important than ever in these challenging times. To present any other alternatives that don’t consider Oldhouse Run’s success in building Godwin doesn’t make sense to me and the 126 families that live here. No more sense than setting forth a proposal splitting three neighborhoods separated by less than one quarter of a mile into three different high schools.


I appreciate your consideration of the above and your support in recommending that Oldhouse Run remain in the Godwin district, just as it always has been since this neighborhood was built decades ago.


Jim Hennig
9542 Oldhouse Dr.
Oldhouse Run Neighborhood / Census Track #0620819

Letter from January Britt

Mrs. Marshall,

I am writing to express concern about my community and the redistricting that will occur in the county in 2010. After looking at the 4 maps that the high school committee has narrowed down that our neighborhood (Oldhouse Run Census Tract 0620819) has been taken out of Godwin after historically being in the district since the neighborhood was built in the early 1980's. While it is upsetting to see 3 maps have us at Tucker and 1 has us at Freeman, the major disapointment is that we have been stripped of our community High School without even an option to stay.

As a former teacher, I understand the redistricting process and realize that you can't make everybody happy. I recognize that the committee has put in many hours and has taken in several factors but also see that it is a numbers game at this point. I wanted to mention a few points I felt were important and hope you will take them into consideration.

1. After moving to Oldhouse Run last year, my husband and I wanted to live in a neighborhood with an established history with the schools. I formally taught at Battlfield Park Elementary in Hanover County and loved the sense of community and legacy that the school offered and wanted that for my children. I understand that the county continues to grow and develop west, and we were not interested in the newer, bigger houses with less tradition that were developing. The Pemberton area has historically had a relationship with Godwin and is an established neighborhood, which is the reason we chose this area. We wanted history, tradition and somewhere that had a strong sense of community. I think in this process those things should count for something, we are not expanding, or growing, we are just asking to stay at Godwin.

2. I think it is unfortunte and unrealistic to ask our community to go from Godwin to Tucker. While I see it is somewhat of a numbers game, going from the 6th ranked school to the 96th is quite a jump. Again, we are not a new community and felt somewhat safe moving here last year FROM the Tucker disctrict because of the neighborhoods history with the high school. If anything being that we are on the Freeman/Godwin line we felt very confident Tucker wouldn't be an option for our children. Again I hope this is considered.

3. In a time of redistricting I think it is crucial to have AT LEAST one senario having Oldhouse to stay at Godwin where our community can show support and fight to stay where we have ALWAYS been. Not many neighborhoods can say that!

4. The west side of Pemberton is made up of established strong neighborhoods with years invested in the Godwin community. While our homes are not new construction, nor flashy- they are rooted in years of tradition and pride in the area we live in and the schools that our children have made strong. We only ask that this is taken in to consideration when looking at where the growth is occuring and which neighborhoods will be affected.

We can only imagine the number of emails and letters you are receiving and realize you have much to consider. We also appreciate all you do for the children of Henrico, our hope is that you will hear our little community out and help us preserve the traditions we hold dear.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

January Britt
9602 January Court
Oldhouse Run Subdivision

Sign the petition!

Volunteers canvassed the neighborhood this morning getting signatures on a petition to keep OHR at Godwin! At last count we had just over 170 signatures.

If we missed you this morning and you wish to sign the petition, give Laura Hennig or Jeff Britt a call.

Laura: 869-9269

Jeff: 937-1937

Last chance to sign is SUNDAY!

Write an email to County officials!

The citizen committee tasked with drafting the school boundaries is meeting on Wednesday, December 17 to finalize maps. Now is the time to contact these people and ask them to keep OHR in Godwin district.

PLEASE - write a short note and email it to the following people:

Citizen Advisory Committee:
jfranz@henrico.k12.va.us
eshepard@henrico.k12.va.us
trich@henrico.k12.va.us
mnhedrick1@henrico.k12.va.us
teadams@henrico.k12.va.us
dvelasquez@henrico.k12.va.us

School Board:
schoolboard@henrico.k12.va.us
lamarshall@henrico.k12.va.us

Superintendent of Schools:
fmorton@henrico.k12.va.us

Assist Superintendent of Schools:
pckinlaw@henrico.k12.va.us

Board of Supervisors:
tuckahoe@co.henrico.va.us

All of these people NEED to hear from us!

Here are a few points to bring up in your email:

- Sense of community

- Neighborhoods and esp. driveways being dividing lines

- We do not currently even share a border w/ Tucker District

- Pemberton corridor potentially feeding 3-4 high schools

- We should not be districted out of Godwin due to over-development in the far west end

-Encourage committee members to visit our neighborhoods along with the consultant - Matt Cropper

-The fact that children directly impacted this have already endured previous re-zoning. They are the ones that have felt the impact of the previous hodgepodge of re-zoning measures.

Don't sit on the sidelines - speak up!

Letter from Terri Lancaster to Lisa Marshall (Henrico School Board)

December 9, 2008

Lisa Marshall
Henrico County School Board
Tuckahoe District

Good Morning,

My name is Terri Lancaster and I am a resident of Oldhouse Run subdivision off Pemberton Road. I am writing to you today to express my extreme displeasure with the high school redistricting options that are now on the table for our children for 2010.

According to the maps that will be made public on December 22 the corridor along Pemberton Road could be divided into 3 high school zones. Our neighborhood, along with Rockstone, Gates Head, Spring Tree and Pinedale Farms have been a community for over 25 years. We are not just census numbers on a map. We are tired of being shuffled around from school zone to school zone to accommodate the overcrowding in the far west end.

We chose to move here 12 years ago because it wasn’t crowded and the schools were the best. Why should we have to be pushed to a school that is clearly inferior in all categories from the one we have been zoned to since our neighborhood was built in the early 1980s.

Last year I attended a meeting at Byrd Middle School along with many other parents and the redistricting process was discussed. We were assured by you, Ms. Marshall, that the public would be kept abreast of the process every step of the way. In my opinion being kept abreast of the process means having input about where my children attend school. I do not feel that 24 people who know nothing about our neighborhood are qualified to decide their fate.

We had several parents apply to be members of the committee so that our voice would be heard but none of them were selected. One of these individuals was never even acknowledged as an applicant. Is this a fair process?

Our neighborhood (census tract number 0620819) has been slated to move to J.R. Tucker on 3 of the 4 proposals that remain on the table. Godwin is not an option at all. Our school of 20+ years has been totally taken away from us without any input from our neighborhood. This is totally unacceptable. I am adamantly opposed to my children being rezoned to Tucker High School.

I have been keeping myself informed of this process from the very beginning and am aware of all of the meetings and how the process is supposed to work. I am attending the meetings and will continue to voice my opinion. I also am aware of the public hearings that will be coming in January and will be in attendance. I would also like to think that the public hearings will matter but I have my doubts.

Please let the record state that the residents of 9601 January Way oppose being moved to J.R. Tucker High School.

Sincerely,

Terri Lancaster
9601 January Way
Oldhouse Run Subdivision

Godwin High School Among Nation's Best High Schools

U.S. News & World Report released it's list of the top high schools in the nation. Of the more than 21,000 schools considered, Godwin was among the 504 silver medalists, along with Deep Run. Analysis was conducted on test scrores, performance of disadvantaged students and college coursework available.

Click here to read the story from the Times-Dispatach.

Click here to review the U.S. News & World Report list of top U.S. high schools.

Info on Henrico School Redistricting

Click here for more info on the County's redistricting process.