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
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2 comments:
Response from Lisa Marshall...
Dear Mr. Hennig:
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and concerns with me regarding the redistricting process and in particular Oldhouse Run. Please visit the HCPS website for the most current information on the redistricting project at: http://www.henrico.k12.va.us/boundaries/redistricting.html Please attend and observe committee meetings and email any concerns to committee members. Public forums are scheduled for January and March. The School Board will not see the proposals of the committee until January and is attempting to refrain from involving ourselves in the committtee process at this time, so as not to compromise the community panel process we have put in place. After the public comment sessions (which I am certain will consist of extensive community input) consideration and extensive deliberations, the Board will vote on proposals in May. I will forward your email to Pat Kinlaw Assistant Superintendant for Administrative Services to forward your email on to the committee chair. Your concern and input is important and will be shared with the committee. Again thanks for contacting me and please know that I am well aware of the concerns a redistricting measure such as this has on parents. I think about this process constantly and await the proposed plans and public dialog that will begin in January. If you have not already done so it might be helpful to you to attended one of the redistricting committee meetings and directly observed how the process is progressing.
Thank you.
Here is what I sent to everyone. I pray it helps.
Melanie Higginbotham- Gateshead
What an arduous task! To be the ones responsible for the education and well-being, after the parents, of all of the children in the County of Henrico. To be the ones that will determine if families, who have chosen to settle in one locality, get to have all of their children attend the same High School. To be the ones to determine if neighborhoods that have attended one High School for 20 years get to remain, while letting others who chose to live in larger,constantly revolving communities should get to deal with overcrowding. To be the ones who will listen and then act on the needs of the actively voting, tax-paying, school-involved members of established communities in Henrico County. To be the ones who realize that we want our children in the schools where we specifically chose to live. What an arduous task!
We bought our home because of Pemberton Elementary, Byrd Middle and most importantly Godwin High School. We chose this feeder pattern because of educational opportunities, which vary from high school to high school ( based on the county web-site profiles), test scores, and their reputations.
We moved here from a city whose high school had a 43% drop-out rate. 43%! We chose to put our children in private school there because we believe that the love of learning starts at the beginning and the ball was being dropped. When we moved here, after much research, we chose to move to Gates Head (#06210) because of the stability and longevity of Pemberton, Byrd and Godwin. We want our children to grow up and develop with the same people that we chose for them to attend school with. We don't want to leave Godwin.
The Pemberton Corridor has been at Godwin for 20+ years. We have helped to make it the school that it is. We would like to continue that relationship, for that is truly what it is.
Thank you,
Melanie Higginbotham
9524 Catesby Lane
Gateshead Subdivision/ Census #06210
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