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District proposes Pooler pre-K center and Bloomingdale K'8 in boundary update; board asks about safety and staffing
Summary
The district outlined boundary changes affecting western Chatham County that would create a Pooler Early Learning Center (pre-K), convert Bloomingdale to a phased K'8, shift several middle-school feeder patterns, and use East Blos s funds for construction; board members raised safety, staffing and timeline questions. (If approved in February, changes would take effect Aug. 2026.)
At the Jan. 14 meeting the district presented a transportation and attendance-boundary adjustment proposal that focuses on shortening student bus ride times, reducing inefficient routes and optimizing underused school capacity in western Chatham County.
Staff said the proposal would impact more than 300 students and could save 20 to 30 minutes per ride by eliminating some "double back" bus routes. The plan recommends using Pooler Elementary as a swing site to create a Pooler Early Learning Center dedicated to pre-K and transitioning Bloomingdale into a phased K'8 campus (adding one grade per year). Officials said families living in the Hunt Club neighborhood who currently attend New Hampstead K-8 could remain at New Hampstead if capacity exists and if the family provides transportation; sibling continuity and administrative placements were described as priorities in the transition.
District staff reported a shortage of pre-K seats: "Across the district, we had over 366 individuals who applied and we didn't have a seat," a presenter said, later clarifying "We have 366 seats across the district for pre k." Staff said Pooler would be converted to a pre-K site with a likely capacity near 300 students if the conversion proceeds.
Staff provided construction estimates tied to East Blos s funding: an estimated $85,000,000 for the West Chatham K-8; an estimated $14,900,000 to create an early-learning site at Pooler (capacity about 300); and an estimated $10,500,000 for a Bloomingdale gym and choral room expansion, for a combined estimate of about $25,400,000 for the Pooler/Bloomingdale elements. The presenter said Pooler already has $9,600,000 allocated in East Blos s 5 and recommended transferring $18,400,000 from unallocated East Blos s 4 to help cover costs; she said total available funding for the program would be about $56,000,000 and that East Blos s 5 contingencies remain intact.
Board members raised safety questions about Pooler as an "open campus" with exterior walkways for young children; staff said they would work with campus teams and police to explore fencing, guarded walkways and other mitigations during design. Members also raised staffing concerns related to a pre-K conversion; staff noted pre-K teachers hold regular elementary certification and can teach up to fifth grade but acknowledged that not all teachers will want to teach the pre-K population and said the district will address placements.
Staff said they plan to seek board approval of revised attendance boundaries at a February meeting; if approved, finalized routing and fleet plans would be completed, families would be notified and administrative placements would begin in late spring, with new boundaries taking effect in August 2026.
No final vote on boundary changes occurred at the Jan. 14 information session.
