Middle school redistricting plan approved

The Clovis Municipal Schools board of education voted unanimously Tuesday for a redistricting option to fill the city's new middle school that kept students from the elementary feeder schools together as much as possible.

Option C was selected from four options considered by the board and members of the public July 24 and Aug. 2. The mission of redistricting was based on keeping elementary school classmates together and balancing ethnicity when W.D. Gattis Middle School opens in August 2013. All the redistricting plans included shifting students from Yucca and Marshall middle schools to the new facility.

W.D. Gattis Middle School, located at the corner of Wilhite and Thornton on the city's northside, was added to address a growing student population in district's grade schools. The move includes shifting sixth-graders from the district's 12 elementary schools to middle school, which now houses seventh- and eighth-graders..

Option C has long been favored by the board.

"Each of these board members had to make up their own mind but they were each with us at each of the meetings," Clovis Municipal Schools Superintendent Terry Myers said. "As we looked at the options there were even comments from the people there that option C appeared to be the best option."

Myers, who recommended option C, believes the vast majority of parents will be happy with the board's decision.

School board president Max Best believes option C was the best way for the board to address the redistricting issue but was concerned that the board may have to revisit the issue in the future.

Best believes new subdivisions being developed in northeast Clovis such as Almond Ranch and Sandstone could cause overcrowding at Yucca Middle School at some point, which could necessitate redistricting in two or three years.

"I think it (option C) made the most sense as far as recognizing the existing school boundaries and how our city is growing right now, but we may have to revisit the issue," Best said.

View the redistricting options at the Clovis Municipal Schools webite at http://www.cms.k12.nm.us/