BRADENTON — The opening of G.D. Rogers Garden Elementary in central Bradenton could affect where students from six schools go to school in August.
In a redistricting workshop on Thursday, the Manatee County school board heard suggestions from three committees on how to redraw school boundaries for Ballard, Bayshore, Manatee, Prine, Moody and Sea Breeze elementary schools.
G.D. Rogers Garden Elementary, scheduled to open for the new school year in August, will be a full-choice school.
It does not have a regular school boundary though about 250 students living within a zone bordered by 17th Avenue West, U.S. 41, Ninth Street West and the Manatee River will be given attendance priority.
Manatee school district officials want to use the school’s opening to eliminate some school boundary pockets in and near that zone and redistribute students among the other six schools.
Ballard and Bayshore elementary schools’ enrollment have exceeded the schools’ capacities, while Prine and Moody elementary schools are close to hitting their limits. Manatee Elementary is 280 students below capacity.
On Thursday, three committees charged with redrawing the school boundaries presented their proposals to the school board.
Each committee was asked to take into consideration the capacity, enrollment, the number of low income students and busing distances when coming up with those proposals.
The first committee divided the pockets using U.S. 41 as a natural boundary, sending students from Moody and Prine elementary schools to Ballard Elementary, explained Steve Johnston, a committee member and parent.
On the east of the highway, students who are attending Sea Breeze and Bayshore elementary schools would go to Manatee Elementary.
That would reduce busing and the need for students to cross the busy highway, he said. That move would bump Ballard Elementary’s total enrollment by 64 students and decrease students in the other five schools.
Johnston said his committee anticipates some Ballard students attending the new school.
The second committee suggested taking Manatee Elementary’s boundaries as far west to Third Street West, and Ballard Elementary’s boundary to Ninth Street East, said Vivian McCoy, a committee member and parent.
The move would not increase any busing as some are already bused because they live in hazardous crossing zones, she said. The move could decrease the number of students at all six schools.
The third committee recommended splitting the existing attendance pockets along U.S. 41. Students on the west would attend Ballard Elementary, said Laura Campbell, a committee member and teacher.
On the east, the committee proposed to retain the pocket zoned to Sea Breeze Elementary but have students living in the pocket next to it attend Prine Elementary, she said.
That would also bump Ballard Elementary’s enrollment by 64 students but lower Manatee Elementary’s by 244 students.
“We’re looking at capacities,” Campbell explained. “We’re making sure that there’s not a lot of movement with teachers as well.”
The board is scheduled to hold a hearing on these proposals on March 16 at Manatee Elementary.
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