Elementary boundaries in transition

Columbia County school officials took their first look at a plan to rezone some elementary schools during a Tuesday meeting.

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A new elementary school opens in August on Baker Place Road behind Grovetown High School. According to the initial plan presented last week, the school primarily will relieve overcrowding at Cedar Ridge and Lewiston elementary schools while also sending a net gain of students to Euchee Creek Elementary.

Based on enrollment figures taken after the first 20 days of school, both Cedar Ridge and Lewiston have more than 900 pupils. They were built to house only 800. Euchee Creek Elementary has just 360 pupils, which is 140 less than it is designed to hold.

The new elementary school will be the same size as Cedar Ridge and Lewiston, with 51 classrooms, and will be designed to hold up to 800 pupils. Officials hope to rezone 640 pupils to the new school.

Many of those pupils, about 430, will be coming from the current Lewiston Elementary zone. Nearly 390 pupils now zoned for Cedar Ridge Elementary will be moved, but many will be going to Euchee Creek.

While Euchee Creek will be losing 66 pupils to the new school, it will gain 130.

The new school's proposed zone will cover pupils living south of Columbia Road from Euchee Creek to High Meadows Drive and some living south of Euchee Creek to William Few Parkway. That area includes the Ivy Falls, Misty Woods and High Meadows neighborhoods.

Also attending the new school might be pupils living north of Wrightsboro Road from Baker Place Road to William Few Parkway and east on William Few Parkway to Chamblin Road at Interstate 20. In addition, the school might take pupils living north of Wrightsboro Road from Euchee Creek to Harlem-Grovetown Road and I-20 at Horizon South Parkway.

Two public meetings are scheduled. Forms will be passed out for public input, or comments may be e-mailed to zoning@ccboe.net.

IF YOU GO

What: Public meetings to discuss the rezoning of some elementary schools

When and where: 7 p.m. Oct. 26 at Cedar Ridge Elementary and 7 p.m. Oct. 28 at Lewiston Elementary

More: Call (706) 541-0650, or www.ccboe.net

NEW SCHOOL NAMES

Columbia County school officials last week released a list of 10 possible names for the new elementary school on Baker Place Road.

1. Liberty Park Elementary

2. Heroes' Grove Elementary

3. Gordon Grove Elementary

4. Horizon Park Elementary

5. Liberty Hill Elementary

6. Eagle Grove Elementary

7. Eagle Point Elementary

8. Creek View Elementary

9. Baker Place Elementary

10. Hidden Creek Elementary