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.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
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.
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.
Monday, December 22, 2008
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!
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
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
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
Monday, December 15, 2008
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
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
Sunday, December 14, 2008
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!
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!
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