The Virginian-Pilot
©
CHESAPEAKE
Parents of students who may be rezoned from Grassfield High School to Deep Creek High School accused the School Board of breaking the promise it made four years ago: that their children would attend the newest school in the city.
Parents of current Deep Creek High students fought back, saying their school was being unfairly stereotyped and that Deep Creek has a rich history that is being allowed to wither away.
More than 30 speakers came before the School Board on Monday night to voice opinions on a proposal to move about 230 students from four neighborhoods that had been moved into the Grassfield zone four years ago back into the Deep Creek zone. If approved, the zoning change would go into effect next fall.
The goal is to boost enrollment at Deep Creek, where academics,
athletics and extracurriculars have suffered since Grassfield opened in 2007, taking away about 800 students.
Parents in the neighborhoods of Elmwood Landing, Olde Mill Run, Mill Creek and Culpepper Landing said the proposal was moving too fast, with the board considering only one rezoning option - them - to bring more students to Deep Creek.
Many said they had moved to the area after it had been rezoned so their students could attend Grassfield, with its state-of-the-art building and technology as well as academic strength.
"We're not arguing that Deep Creek does not need help," said Judi Gaborik, an Olde Mill Run resident. "I feel their pain." But if the School Board wants to boost Deep Creek enrollment, it should improve the school first, putting in the same technology Grassfield has and adding an academy to attract students from other areas of the city, Gabori k said.
Others - many wearing Deep Creek purple - defended the school's academics and culture and said the rezoning is crucial to save their school.
Ginny Culpepper's son is a junior at Deep Creek. He is in the National Honor Society and plays varsity volleyball and tennis. Deep Creek "has been a special place where he has flourished," she said, and he wants to return after college to teach history.
The School Board "cannot allow one of its schools to atrophy and wither while pouring all manner of resources" into other areas, she said.
After the hearing, Superintendent W. Randolph Nichols told the School Board that the rezoning proposal would be a first step in reviving Deep Creek. He said the division could take steps to add more technology, such as smartboards and new computers, in classrooms. "We have to do more," he said. "But I believe... this has to be a beginning step."
The next public hearing is scheduled for Oct. 12. The board is scheduled to take action on the proposal Oct. 26.
Alicia Wittmeyer, (757) 222-5216, alicia.wittmeyer@pilotonline.com
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After listening to both
After listening to both sides at the school board meeting, I have come to a simple conclusion. It is not necessarily about what is for the good of the student population, but for the good of me, me, me. The parents are truly not concerned about the education of the children, but rather the property value of their homes. If this is a true issue for them they should not complain but list their home with a realtor and buy a new home on the east side of the inter-coastal waterway. There are plenty of new developments cropping up daily, plenty of homes to buy. That way they can ensure that they are protecting the "me" and the property value of their homes. Each school in this district, and across the state, teach the same curriculum. The teachers are held to the same standards, the only difference is the building and where the students are dropped off by their buses. Get over your complaining, do something about your gripe, move.
Chesapeake rezone Middle Schools
Chesapeake needs to rezone high schools and middle schools to save money and stop the changes at the high school level.
All Students west of 17 canal should go to Deep Creek Middle and High School.
Grassfield High School and Hugo Owens Middle School should have the same attendance zone- East of 17 (Hugh Owens being Grassfield's Middle School)
Hickory High School and Middle School should have the same attendance zone.
Oscar Smith High School and Crestwood Middle school should have the same
attendance Zone.(Move IB program to Deep Creek High School)
Greenbrier High School will not be built for 10-15 years because of drop in Chesapeake student enrollment.
That Plan Would Not Totally Work!
If some of the Crestwood Middle students were taken out of Great Bridge High, then Great Bridge would be in the same situation Deep Creek High is now, with empty classrooms. If some of the Deep Creek High students were taken out of Hugo A. Owens, then they would be in the same situation as Deep Creek High now, with empty classes. Hickory Middle is overcrowded now. That is why some Hickory Middle children attend Grassfield now, so Hickory High won't be so overcrowded. The best solution would be to send some Hickory Middle students to Greenbrier Middle. I agree with IB moving to Deep Creek.
Rezoning
The school board said that the "academics, athletics and extracurriculars" at DCHS has suffered from the now "low" student population. I beg to differ. When the population was over 2000, DCHS still did not offer enough upper level classes to its students. When an upper level class was offered, it was offered only "once" during the day, and the student had to "choose" what class NOT to take, as in not being able to be in band or orchestra. We were told point blank, to our face by a DCH school counselor that if our kids wanted to take upper level classes and to stay in band/orchestra (which they had been enrolled in since the 5th grade), then to transfer to GBHS!!! (This was before Grassfield was built.) I then realized, and was very saddened, that "athletics" over "academics" was never going to change at our beloved DCHS.
Haven't heard this brought up, but...
One thing I have not seen here is an acknowledgement of the hard work and dedication that has gone into building a new community at Grassfield High School. In a short time, we have created a real sense of belonging and pride in the new school, which was born out of three separate and proud existing area schools. Academic, athletic and artistic successes by the student body has made the students there VERY PROUD of being Grizzlies -- something that some of them weren't very happy about at the outset. It has nothing to do with Smartboards and rich parents. It has to do with a great staff and administration, supportive parents and students who want to succeed and achieve. We have a very diverse student body at Grassfield, in every sense of the word.
I completely agree that the school board made a huge mistake in the original zoning, but to say "oops, sorry" and not expect people to harbor some resentment about that is unfair. It not necessarily AGAINST Deep Creek.
Western Branch / Jolliff Woods
Instead of complaining about how Western Branch has so much political power, you might want to pay some attention to how involved they are in the initial phases of every project that is built or considered in Western Branch. They do their homework early, they get to know their electeds, they don't come out of the gate against anything new...every time, they tweak it until everyone can live with a better improved situation. & they vote in every election [usually the highest percentage of registered voters in the City]. Not too many NIMBYs in WB. WB is open for business as the Mayor says, just make sure it pays it's way & they can live with a better project. It's time consuming to study every issue & go to every public hearing weather it concerns you or not but when a public hearing is held & 500 people show up vs. 50 who do you think the City is going to listen to?
Property Value
This whole rezoning issue is bringing my property value down.....
School Rezoning
I am in agreement with "Gregster". I do not think that parents who band together and go to a school board meeting should have the "power" to persuade the school board on which neighborhoods get rezoned and to which school.
From what I understand, the last time this was done, they did and now the students are paying the price.
School Board Members, please do your job and not worry about being re-elected. If you do the right thing, you have nothing to worry about!
Rezoning Deep Creek District
I am the proud parent of a DCHS 2009 graduate and a sophomore currently attending DCHS. I attended last night's school board meeting where people voiced their opinions on rezoning the Deep Creek/Grassfield school districts. I must say I was quite impressed with speakers on both sides of the issue and commend all of them on their research and eloquence in delivering their comments to the board. There were a number of intriguing ideas introduced by the speakers which the board should consider along with the proposed rezoning. This will not be an easy decision for the school board, but the right decision isn't always the easy one. Deep Creek is an excellent school that both my kids loved attending. It's very sad to see and hear some of the comments from people adamantly opposed to sending "their kids" to Deep Creek when the only experience they've had with DCHS is this divisive issue. I agree that other ideas such as creating an academy should be considered along with rezoning. However, I believe rezoning the school district has got to be part of the solution.
Let's face it, school
Let's face it, school rezoning is not a very strong suit for this school board. I understand the board is only taking what the full time planning staff is giving them, but the staff is blowing it. They spend so much unnecassary money on busing students from areas closer to other schools it's pathtic. For example, some Crestwood students get bused all the way to Great Bridge High, when Oscar Smith is right around the corner. Two other neighborhoods are 3 minutes to Great Bridge Middle school and those kids WILL be attending Great Bridge High in the future, yet they are bused 25 minutes to Hickory Middle, only to eat lunch in portables because of overcrowding. And, with a shortage of bus drivers!!!! This zoning issue is just the latest example of the incomptance of the school board administration, but not the teachers, etc. Instead of doing what is right, they gave into politics to get relected, which of course, is the goal of any politician, for example, Western Branch parents in terms of zoning. However, this is nothing. Wait until the new high school at Centerville Turnpike opens in 3 or 4 or 5 years and they try busing the kids from the Ravina, School House Crossing, Chapel Hill