Tomahawk redistricting plan is questioned

Does funding from the [2004] bond [referendum] really provide relief for overcrowding as sold to the public? The Tomahawk Creek Middle School (TCMS) boundary proposal offers misleading information. For instance, the plan states that Bailey Bridge Middle School (BBMS) would open in the fall at 93 percent capacity, but the number should have been 98 percent. The plan states that TCMS would open at 75 percent capacity, but when you remove the gifted students from the enrollment figures, TCMS would be 70 percent capacity. The proposal is also misleading [in how it] compares the additions to Swift Creek Middle School (SCMS) and Midlothian Middle School (MMS). SCMS will only receive 85 additional seats, but MMS will get 320 additional classroom seats. Far from equal. Under their plan, BBMS would only have 25 open seats for thousands of approved lots, and SCMS would remain over capacity.

This proposal offers inadequate relief to SCMS and BBMS and opens TCMS signifi- cantly under capacity. I urge residents of the Brandermill area and Bailey Bridge attendance zone to write their school board members and request further relief as intended by the 2004 bond referendum. While our leaders can't change the odd placement of this school, they can create the attendance boundaries to include the students that the bond referendum was intended to serve. Let's get the most relief possible from this $39 million dollar facility paid for by all taxpayers!

Shelly Schuetz

Hampton Park