RCS school assignment policy raises concerns from central office staff, board members

HAMLET — The Richmond County Schools Board of Education is facing a decision that will impact 334 students who attend a school outside of what they are zoned for.

Under the revised and proposed 4150 School Assignment Policy (which will be updated in the coming days), employees of Richmond County Schools may request that their child attend the school where they currently work or the feeder school closest to where they work.

Central Office employees may request that their child attend the school closest to their work setting, under the proposed policy. The superintendent or designee may deny a request based on space availability. The request form must be submitted by June 15.

“During the 2024 – 2025 implementation school year of the new reassignment policy, students going into 5th or 8th grade at their previous school can remain at the school,” states the proposed policy. “The following year the student will transition to the age-appropriate school in their attendance zone.”

Exceptional Children’s Director Dana Mintmier stated during the public comment period of the February school board meeting that she has two elementary-school children who are attending school outside of their assigned attendance zone.

“The proposal suggests because we have chosen to serve students in other capacities, that we have no benefits that you’re allowing other teachers,” Mintmier said. “Empowering employees to choose their child’s school within the district brings unique advantages.”

Mintmier said the idea of uprooting her children’s current school would cause significant upheaval and break their strong emotional ties to their school and peer groups.

Lead School Psychologist Jessica Padgett said that the board should reconsider the proposed policy that would permit the children of teachers, but not central staff or other RCS employees, to attend schools outside of their zones.

“Given [my eight-year-old third grader] successes at her current school and the relationships she has built over the last three years, I would be deeply saddened to know that she would not be provided the same opportunity as other school employees children simply because I’m considered itinerant (traveling) staff for LJ bell and not a teacher,” Padgett said.

Padgett said she knows this policy is about fairness, and that she would ask the board to consider the social-emotional wellbeing of children that could be impacted by this decision.

“Is it in their best interest to uproot them given their ties to the schools they’ve been attending for years?” Padgett asked. “This is an issue within the realm of your control. A benefit that you can provide to all of your employees. What a great way to show you value your employees work and dedication to the children of Richmond County Schools. As employees who dedicate their time and effort to benefit the academic and emotional wellbeing children of Richmond County Schools, [we] should also be provided an opportunity to maximize the academic and emotional wellbeing of our own.”

Hayley Gordon, a Curriculum Director, said that her daughter has forged a close relationship with her peers at her current school outside of which she is zoned for.

“While I know we must make decisions that benefit the district as a whole, I believe my child would thrive best at her current placement,” Gordon said, adding that this would provide important stability for her child during formative years.

Dr. Tesha Isler, Executive Director of School Administration & Policy, said the district has been working since October to gather feedback from as many stakeholders as possible. A district-wide survey received 33 survey responses from principals, teachers and students.

Under the revised policy, siblings of a student who has been assigned to a different school due to disabilities can now attend the same school, a change in language that was promoted by school social workers. Additional language has also been added to add that all students attending a school outside of their attendance zone may be required to return to their original school if attendance or discipline becomes an issue.

Board member Daryl Mason said they need to consider the mental effects that this policy could have on children, stating it could exacerbate mental health concerns. Board member Ronald Tillman added that the comments from the public comment portion of the meeting was helpful. Board member Scotty Baldwin stated that he believes that if you are an employee of Richmond County Schools, whether that’s a teacher, central office employee or cafeteria worker, the ability to choose where your child can attend should be a perk across the board that can help with retention.

To clarify the policy, Superintendent Dr. Joe Ferrell stated that during the 2024-25 implementation of this policy, if a student had been attending a school outside of their zone from Kindergarten to fourth grade, they would be grandfathered in for their fifth grade year. When that student graduates to middle school, they would then have to return to their designated school in their attendance zone.

“Or they would have to do a reassignment [request to attend the middle school of their choice?] asked board member Cory Satterfield.

“Well, they could do a reassignment request, but we would not approve it because if we did we haven’t really changed anything,” responded Dr. Ferrell. “We’re right back to where we started. The whole discussion we had was at some point you have to cut it off and move it forward.” He added that if you continue to let the child attend a school(s) outside of their attendance zone indefinitely, it would not be legitimate according to the policy.

“It’s going to affect children tremendously if you do that,” said Mason, with Dr. Ferrell nodding in agreement. “In order to avoid this, parents just need to start their kids in their own attendance zone if you’re in elementary, because it’s going to tear kids apart to leave their friends.”

Chairman Wiley Mabe said that something needs to be done to balance class sizes across the district, a potential reason for the updated policy.

Revisions to the policy will be corrected and added by Dr. Isler and Dr. Ferrell over the next few days.

“We really will have to get it approved in March because it’s going to get really tight to implement this thing pretty quickly,” said Dr. Ferrell following the board’s decision to wait until the March meeting to make a final decision.

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Reach Matthew Sasser at 910-817-2671 or [email protected] to suggest a correction.