Proposed Zoning Changes For Baldwin County Schools

By Steve Alexander Reporter

Published: Thu, August 28, 2008 - 10:16 pm Last Updated: Thu, August 28, 2008 - 10:29 pm

Short URL: http://wkrg.com/a/17373/

Steve Alexander

Baldwin County Public School officials want to move some students from one elementary school to another to help ease overcrowding.
They're asking the public for feedback.
School system administrators said they'd like to move about 75 to 100 students from Rockwell Elementary in Spanish Fort to Spanish Fort Elementary, about five miles away.
Terry Wilhite with Baldwin County Public Schools said, "When you have growth, you have to accommodate growth and sometimes you have growing pains. At Spanish Fort Elementary there are empty classrooms, some, and then at Rockwell Elementary, its (filled) to the gill."
Baldwin school officials said you can see the evidence of growth.
A new apartment complex is going up next to Rockwell Elementary and a new subdivision is being built across the street from Spanish Fort Elementary.
About sixty people came to a meeting Thursday night to hear about the idea and give their thoughts.
John Allen and his wife have two daughters, one who's already in kindergarten at Rockwell.
Allen said, "We wanted to have our daughters go to the Rockwell School District. As a matter of fact, we bought our house based on the Rockwell School District."
Michelle Mills has one child in fourth grade and another one getting ready for kindergarten.
Mills said, "I know the teachers. I have a network there and that's comforting to know when you have another one (child) coming up."
Misty Robinson said she and her daughter moved to Spanish Fort and Rockwell's district recently from Summerdale.
Robinson said, "I just don't think that I should have to uproot my child when I didn't make the choice to move her. She's already had that adjustment before."
School officials say they'll review all the comments before issuing a final recommendation.
Any changes won't take effect until the 2009-2010 school year.