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East Hamilton board member proposes grade‑configuration pilot to relieve overcrowding
Summary
East Hamilton board member Jody Schaffer proposed converting district schools to a k–3, 4–6 intermediate and 7–12 model to relieve elementary overcrowding, especially at Westview, East Brainerd and Appison, and to expand programmatic opportunities; the district will hold a community meeting March 6 and gather feedback before any rezoning.
East Hamilton board member Jody Schaffer urged the Hamilton County Schools board to pilot a grade‑restructuring plan in District 7 to address rapid enrollment growth and overcrowded elementary schools.
Schaffer said several elementary campuses in her district exceed capacity — she cited Appison, East Brainerd and Westview — while the district’s high school and middle school have available capacity. To address the imbalance, she proposed a K–3 model at elementary campuses, an intermediate 4–6 school using the current middle‑school campus, and a 7–12 high‑school configuration to consolidate upper grades in a single facility.
“By restructuring,” Schaffer said, “we can close literacy gaps early, provide focused instruction in K–3 and create earlier opportunities for arts, band and athletics in the 4–6 intermediate level.” She said the approach would allow East Hamilton to retain families and better use existing buildings rather than immediately building additional schools.
Schaffer said the district planned a public meeting on March 6 to gather community input and would follow with a parent survey. She framed the idea as a pilot that would require board approval before any rezoning or staffing changes. She also acknowledged the plan could require future rezoning if growth continues, and that the board would need to consider district‑wide impacts.
Board members supported further study but flagged several implementation issues: transportation and bus‑route changes, staff assignments and collective‑bargaining or contract impacts, summer and extracurricular scheduling, and the broader precedent for rezoning across the county. Several trustees encouraged Schaffer to gather community feedback and report back later in March.
The administration said architects and construction managers are working on separate, districtwide facility projects including North River Elementary and other planned capital improvements; administrators said those efforts and the grade‑configuration proposal would be evaluated on parallel tracks.
Schaffer asked the board to give District 7 priority for a pilot and said she would bring community feedback to the board before any board vote on formal rezoning.
