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The Forsyth County Board of Education has released the following video describing the redistricting process

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for FCS Redistricting

1. What is the timeline for the redistricting process?

• Present proposed timeline to BOE 11/08/07 • BOE approves process 11/15/07 • Obtain list of committee volunteers 11/16-11/30/07 • BOE selects committee members 12/13/07 • Send letters to committee members 12/14/07 • Hold committee meetings 01/28, 02/11, 02/25, 04/01 • Principal meeting 02/06
• Post first draft of lines 02/13 @10am • Receive community input 02/13-24 • Post second draft 02/27 @10 am • Receive community input 02/27-03/31 • Hold LSC cluster meetings* 03/11-13 ES Group 1 03/11 @9:30-11:30 am Chattahoochee, Chestatee,
Coal Mtn., Matt & Silver City ES Group 2 03/11 @1-3 pm Cumming, Daves Cr., Midway,
Sawnee & Vickery Creek ES Group 3 03/12 @9:30-11:30 am Big Creek, Johns Creek,
Mashburn, Settles Br., Sharon
& Shiloh Pt.
Middle 03/12@1-3 pm High 03/13 @1-3 pm

*Meetings held at the BOE • Deadline for LSC input 03/28

• Post third (final draft) 04/03 @10am • Present final draft to BOE 04/17 • Hold BOE public forums (7 pm) 04/22 @7pm Forsyth Central HS 04/29 @7pm South Forsyth HS

• BOE discusses draft 05/8 • BOE approval of lines 05/15 • Final lines posted 05/19 @10am

1. Why are school attendance lines being redrawn? School attendance lines are being redrawn to accommodate the opening of the following schools in 2009: • Brookwood ES, a two-story school located on Vaughn Drive • Whitlow ES, a one story school located on Castleberry Road • Haw Creek ES and Lakeside MS, two two-story schools located adjacent to each other on Echols Road.
   • Lambert HS, which is located next to Sharon Elementary on Nichols Road. Lambert is a two story design similar to West Forsyth High. Lambert will open without a senior class. These schools are funded by our voters who approved the 2006 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) and bond referendum. New lines are also being redrawn to accommodate the overcrowding at our existing schools.

2. Why is FCS opening new schools? FCS continues to be one of the fastest growing school districts in Georgia and the nation. We have grown from a medium size system to a large system by adding more than 20,000 students since 1995, a more than 200 percent increase. This is the equivalent of adding approximately 19 new middle schools. Currently, FCS is home to close to 31,000 students and is projected to grow to over 50,000 students in 5 years.

3. How are the new schools being funded? The new schools are being funded with monies from the state and from the voter approved the 2006 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST III) and bond referendum. This SPLOST/bond is separate from the county (commissioners) and city’s SPLOST.

4. What are the current attendance lines? Maps of the current attendance lines can be found at http://fcsgis.forsyth.k12.ga.us/onpointgis2/onpoint . The Board of Education approved these lines in February, 2006 for the two new schools that opened in 2006 and the four new schools we opened in August, 2007. Prior to this, redistricting occurred in 2002 for two news schools that opened in 2003 and 2004.

5. Who is on the Redistricting Committee? To assist with redistricting, the Board of Education appointed 10 committee members (two from each Board district), five principals and four Central office staff members to serve on this committee. A list can be found by visiting this link The committee’s purpose is to develop district line drafts based on data and community input. They will hold numerous meeting to review data and community input. The committee understands that the Board of Education reviews their work and approves the district lines.

6. What are the approved guidelines for redistricting? • Neighborhoods will NOT be moved in intervals less than two years. • Students at the highest grade at each school affected by redistricting will be given the option of staying at that site. This will NOT extend to siblings and NO transportation will be provided. The deadline for requesting Out of District for such students will be February, 2009.
   • Lambert H.S. will open with NO option for remaining at current school unless enrolled in a program not offered at the new school. Lambert will open without a senior class.

7. How is the redistricting being communicated? • Redistricting page on web (created 9/13/07) • FCS and School websites • Local media • Drafts of maps in schools with directions for feedback • School and system newsletters • Letters to parents regarding final lines • Informational video a. Linked from FCS website to Cumming Home, shown on FCS podcast, Comcast 23 and in schools, parent groups, LCSs and forums • Redistricting Committee • Principal led staff and parent meetings

8. Will developments be divided and sent to different schools? Based on the student capacity of our current and new schools (elementary 1112 students; middle: 1037 students; high: approximately 2000 students) in relation to the size of current and future developments in Forsyth County and the number of students in these subdivisions, FCS can not promise that developments will be attending the same school. Some of our schools are simply not large enough to house the large number of students living in some Forsyth County developments. This response was also provided during the 2005-06 redistricting process.

9. How can I provide feedback? • Web form – www.forsyth.k12.ga.us, go to “select a link” and choose redistricting • Voice mail - 678-365-5025 • 2 Community Forums for public input Cluster meetings will also be held for school LSC members.

10. What technology is used for redistricting? For redistricting, FCS uses data from Geographic Information Systems, more commonly known as GIS. GIS is software that maps and analyzes geographic information such as locations of individual homes, businesses, roads and streets, zip codes and current school attendance zones. This is the second redistricting process to use GIS.