School board approves most Forest-zone adjustments, rejects New London redistricting and refers overflow plan back to staff

The Bedford County School Board on Nov. 13 approved most adjustments to the Forest attendance zone but refused the redistricting plan affecting the New London area and sent that piece back to staff to develop an overflow model.

"Mister Chair, I move that we approve the forest zone adjustments, excluding the portions that move students to Boonsboro Elementary and Otter River, and deny the New London area redistricting portion and refer it back to staff for further study utilizing the overflow model," said the motion offered on the floor and seconded by another board member. The board approved the motion by voice vote.

The action followed a 40-minute public comment period in which District 3 residents urged the board to adopt the overflow approach. Whitney Holly, a New London parent, said the model "protects current New London Academy students while giving flexibility to respond to forest area growth in a thoughtful and measured way." Casey McCrickard and Jamie Holly also voiced support for overflow as a less disruptive alternative to immediate rezoning.

Staff presented three grandfathering options for Forest Elementary students and flagged transportation and staffing implications. Randy from the division's finance/facilities team told the board the recommended option was a one-year waiver allowing current fourth-graders to finish fifth at Forest while revoking most zone transfers; that option would require parents to provide out-of-zone transportation and could temporarily increase staffing needs.

Board members debated whether to extend grandfathering to siblings not currently enrolled. Chair and several members expressed support for allowing currently enrolled students to finish their elementary years while denying a guarantee to new siblings. One board member summarized the consensus: grandfather current students for one year, do not provide extra transportation for out-of-zone grandfathered students, and direct staff to detail staffing and budget impacts.

Next steps: staff will provide more detailed enrollment and staffing projections to the facilities and finance committees and return to the full board with implementation recommendations, including the regulation language tied to Policy JC that will guide future redistricting options.

Actions recorded at the meeting show the board approved the Forest-zone adjustments with explicit exclusion of the New London redistricting portion and directed staff to study the overflow model and report back with implementation options; the motion carried by voice vote.