Vote on New Kent school’s redistricting plan expected to take place Mar. 15

A slightly modified proposal of a redistricting plan for New Kent’s elementary schools may receive final approval from the county’s school board on Mar. 15.

School board representatives received an update from Matthew Cropper of Cropper GIS services on a third option that received approval from a redistricting committee during Monday night’s New Kent School Board meeting.

During a Jan. 20 work session, Cropper presented two plans to the school board. At that meeting, both proposals call for a majority of the western end of New Kent to be the zone for Quinton Elementary School students. Homes and roads off Emmaus Church Road (Route 106) would remain in Watkins, with any other area west of it designated in the new school’s zone. The George Watkins Elementary School zone would expand and cover part of the western part of the current New Kent Elementary School’s zone. That area would be roads on the western side of Old River Road and Courthouse Road (Route 155).

The changes in the two plans revolves around the Brickshire community. In Option A, the Oakmont subdivision that is prior to arriving to Brickshire would have students attend George Watkins Elementary School, while those students who actually live in the Brickshire subdivision would attend New Kent Elementary School. Option B calls for students in both subdivisions to attend New Kent Elementary School.

After receiving feedback form the community Cropper returned with a slightly modified proposal for the county’s school board to consider. The new recommendation would have residents on both sides of Airport Road to attend George Watkins Elementary School. Other students at that school would be everything east of Tunstall/Old Church Road, Airport Road, and Emmaus Church Road, as well as homes west of Courthouse Road. Homes west of Emmaus Church Road and Airport Road would attend Quinton Elementary School except for certain locations south of Route 60 (Pocahontas Trail).

Students who live in Brickshire and Oakmont would attend New Kent Elementary School, as well as students who live north and east of Interstate 64. In total, 581 students will be impacted by the redistricting when Quinton Elementary School opens in 2022.

“When we received feedback, we discovered that some of the suggestions made sense and that our committee agreed,” said Cropper. “For example, most buses pick up students from both sides of the road, so it made sense for us to make sure residents on Airport Road would go to the same school as it helps with the logistics of transportation.”

School board members are expected to vote at the Mar. 15 work session on the redistricting plans. In other matters addressed by New Kent school leaders:

–Received an amended budget proposal for the FY2021-22 cycle. The proposal was originally planned for just over $36 million, which included the Capital Improvement Plan. New Kent school’s finance director Haynie Morgheim recommended the budget increasing to $37,902,203 for the upcoming year due to most of that money being part of a one-time CARES Act funding. That money is planned to be used in the school’s ESSER (Emergency and Secondary School Emergency Relief) account to provide pay increases over the next two years, speed the process up to replace HVAC systems at New Kent Middle School, and to assist with Summer learning programs.

–Voted 4-0 to approve the return of Cohort 5 students (Grades 7-8, 10-12) back into buildings on Mar. 22 as part of the hybrid plan.