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With 36,250 students enrolled and 180 students over projection for 2015-16, rezoning is unavoidable. WCS regularly exceeds growth projections with 1,000 new students per year, and this growth is not expected to taper off. Enrollment will exceed 40,000 in the next four years. A rezoning timeline and plan could be introduced to the board as early as November 2015.
UPDATE: In October 2015, the district decided not to do a full rezoning but instead a spot rezoning (Oak View to Winstead, Page to Centennial, Nolensville to Sunset Elementary, Mill Creek to Sunset Middle). See pages 69-75 for maps and neighborhoods.
Rezoning History
The last major rezoning was approved in November 2010 and effective for the 2011-12 school year. The plan was said to eliminate the need for a comprehensive rezoning over the next four to five years. Approximately 3,000 students were impacted all across the county. The process took many months and included several community meetings. Long-term board member Gary Anderson noted that he received more than 4,000 emails during the fall 2010 rezoning discussions.
Enrollment vs. Capacity
There are currently 41 schools in WCS – 9 high schools, 8 middle schools, 23 elementary schools and one K-8 school. New elementary, middle and high schools will open in Nolensville for the 2016-17 school year. (See “Nolensville Schools” below for more information.)
The 5-year projection for all of Williamson County Schools was updated with 2015-16 enrollment figures as well as increased capacity from additional classrooms on 1/11/2016.
The following schools are at or near capacity:
Elementary SchoolsMiddle Schools
High SchoolsAllendaleBrentwoodBrentwoodEdmondsonHillsboroCentennialKenrosePageFranklinNolensville*Spring StationRavenwood*Oak ViewSunset*RenaissanceScalesSunset*
* Overcrowding will be relieved in Fall 2016 when Mill Creek Elementary and Middle and Nolensville High open
Williamson Strong’s interactive map shows the population density of children around the county and gives some perspective to many of the schools that are over capacity.
Capital Plan
The 5-year capital plan was approved on 11/17/2014 and revised on 11/5/2015.
It includes “a plat of land in Brentwood, where land is scarce, to build an elementary school,” for Fall 2017 as well as land for a K-8 school in south central Williamson County similar to Mill Creek in Nolensville for Fall 2020. The district is “in the very early stages of negotiating on two pieces of property in Thompson’s Station, one of which lies at Critz Lane and Clayton-Arnold Road.” UPDATE: on 1/11/2016, the County Commission approved the purchase and development of 47 acres in Thompson’s Station for a K-8 school to open in Fall 2017.
The plan also includes another elementary school in Spring Hill for Fall 2017 TBD and a northwest middle and high school complex for Fall 2020 TBD.
College Grove Elementary completed its 8-classroom addition in time for the 2014-15 school year.
Board policy 3.211 specifies the following standard school sizes:
Elementary: 600-800
Middle: 800-1200
High: 1500-1800
Portables
The district’s goal is for students to have “adequate facilities” and no portables. – Superintendent Mike Looney, 6/13/15
“Most parents would rather have their kid in a portable than have the tax rate raised.” – District 4 county commissioner Kathy Danner, 6/13/15
Prior to the 2011 rezoning, WCS had 47 portables. Today there are 30 in use at 11 schools.SchoolTotal Number of PortablesNumber Added in 2015Ravenwood High
7
1Brentwood High
2
2Independence High
2Page Middle
3
2Spring Station Middle
2
2Brentwood Middle
1
1Scales Elementary
3Nolensville Elementary
3Lipscomb Elementary
2Oak View Elementary
2
2Trinity Elementary (currently used as office/storage space for SACC staff)
2
TOTAL
29
10
Nolensville Schools
Nolensville High School, Mill Creek Elementary and Mill Creek Middle share a campus in Nolensville. The schools are scheduled to open in August 2016.
Mill Creek Elementary and Middle will share a building similar to the layout of Sunset.
The Mill Creek Elementary zoning has already been established and pulls students from both Nolensville and Sunset Elementary Schools. 2016 Elementary School Zoning Map
Middle Creek Middle takes on part of the county currently served by Sunset Middle School. 2016 Middle School Zoning Map
Nolensville High School will open to freshman and sophomore students in its first year. 2016 High School Zoning Map
Rezoning Articles
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