EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
District staff has developed a proposal to utilize existing facilities and capital resources to add two K-8 schools to Fulton County Schools’ portfolio. The proposed schools are a Conley Hills K-8 Replacement School at the current Paul West site and a Hapeville K-8 School. Descriptions of these proposals are provided below. Proposed schematic designs for these schools are reviewed later in the agenda.
In accordance with Board Policy FDB, School Closing and Consolidation, this item seeks Board authorization for staff to proceed with community forums to share and gather information necessary to prepare a potential recommendation regarding closure and consolidation necessary to implement proposed K-8 facilities. Changes in attendance boundaries would follow processes outlined in Board Policy AD, School Attendance Zones.
Schools directly impacted are Paul D. West Middle School, Conley Hills Elementary School, and Hapeville Elementary School. Other schools in the area may be impacted by changes in attendance boundaries, feeder patterns, and enrollment.
Staff is recommending beginning the community engagement process a year ahead of the timeline outlined in policy so that recommendations would align with potential construction schedules. If a recommendation is approved by the Board, school closures, changes in grade configurations, and modifications to attendance boundaries would take effect in the fall of 2022.
If the Board approves this item, required community forums would begin in December 2020 and conclude by February 2021. Upon conclusion of the community forums, recommendations would be presented to the Board and corresponding public hearings would be held over a two-month period.
Summary of K-8 Opportunities:
Conley Hills Replacement K-8: The proposal makes a significant investment to renovate and reconfigure a replacement Conley Hills K-8 at the current Paul D. West Middle School location; this effort:
- Delivers a flagship Conley Hills Replacement K-8 facility for the Tri-Cities community
- Provides students and families with the school instructional model that meets their unique needs
- Substantially modifies, upgrades and improves the existing facility, including replacement of select critical building systems
- Adds required site amenities to support the curriculum
- Improves security and aesthetics of the building
- Reconfigures building layout to support requirements for primary grade students and staff
- Leverages the middle school spaces to meet K-8 curriculum
This proposed construction effort is substantial and will require a budget comparable to the building costs associated with a newly constructed elementary school.
Hapeville K-8: The proposal leverages the existing Hapeville ES to add a K-8 facility to the District’s portfolio. As a current elementary and a former high school, the facility provides unique opportunities to leverage existing elementary school facility investments as well as former high school amenities and infrastructure to meet requirements for our grades 6-8 curriculum; this effort:
- Utilizes existing elementary facilities such as restrooms adjacent to K-1 classrooms
- Uses former high school amenities to meet curricular requirements for upper grades such as the gymnasium
- Adds locker rooms to the existing gymnasium
- Creates a science lab, CTAE, and Art spaces necessary for 6-8 curriculum
- Expands and moves music spaces adjacent to the auditorium
- Renovates the media center
Construction activities will occur over two summers as well as concurrent with school operations during the 2021-22 school year.
Three documents are attached to this item for the Board’s consideration. The first item is a timeline of community engagements, including planned community forums. The second item summarizes benefits of a K-8 instructional model and includes data relevant to the school closure and consolidation process. The thirds item provides historic, current, and forecasted enrollments by school for all Fulton County Schools.
MOTION STATEMENT:
I move that the Fulton County Board of Education instruct the administration to proceed community engagements and public hearings in accordance with Policies FDB and AD in order to develop a proposed plan to 1.) close and consolidate the existing Paul D. West Middle School in order to renovate and reconfigure a replacement Conley Hills K-8 facility at this location, 2.) close the existing Conley Hills Elementary School facility, 3.) create a Hapeville K-8 facility at the existing location, and 4.) adjust attendance boundaries and enrollments accordingly. This item is submitted for action.
DIVISION SUPERVISOR:
Patrick J. Burke
Chief Operations Officer
Administrative Center
470-254-8998
PRESENTER:
Patrick J. Burke
Chief Operations Officer
Administrative Center
470-254-8998
OTHER CONTRIBUTORS:
Yngrid Huff, Exec. Dir. Operational Planning
David Knotts, Exec. Dir. Capital Programs
Doug Carey, Director Planning/Programming
STRATEGIC INITIATIVE:
This Board agenda item is classified as “on-going work,” a set of recurring activities and projects central to daily district operations and support provided to schools, but outside the initiatives in Strategic Plan 2022.
FINANCIAL INFORMATION: