CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – On Tuesday evening, the Clarksville-Montgomery County School Board voted 6-1 to approve the rezoning proposal for the opening of Kirkwood Middle School this fall.

At the Feb. 8 meeting, the board was presented with a formal rezoning recommendation that did not contain any changes boundaries that were in the original proposal, but added an extensive “school option” plan that would allow some students to remain at their current schools.

Board comments

The approval comes after the district conducted several rounds of public feedback sessions. Many of the concerns included an already overstressed transportation system due to the bus driver shortage and travel issues to get to newly zoned schools.

“This is a tough one for me because I have a large amount of people who are affected by this, and I have received quite a bit of feedback from this – people opposed in my district to this rezoning,” board member Josh Baggett said Tuesday evening.

He continued to say that while he appreciated the work the zoning commission put in on the proposal, he would be voting against it because of the response from his constituents.

“Zoning procedures are always difficult and uncomfortable, but it’s a necessity. It’s an unpleasant consequence and requirement of county growth and progress and the accompanying increased school enrollment,” Pace said during her comments.

Board member Kent Griffy said he would be voting for the proposal, but he was doing so “with regret.”

“You can change the people, but you can’t change the numbers,” Griffy said of the issue created by the “school option” plan.

“I don’t see where there’s a choice to vote in favor of this rezoning proposal thanks to the grandfather clause, because as long as our county sees growth at the rate it is, we’re going to have to build new buildings for students to go to. We can’t build a new building and leave it empty,” Griffy continued.

Baggett was the only board member to vote against the proposal, with the final vote tallying at 6-1 in favor of the rezoning.

‘School option’ plan

For middle school students, who will be affected by the rezoning for the upcoming 2022-23 school year, the district’s “school option” plan allows those rising 7th and 8th grade students to attend either their currently assigned middle school or their newly assigned middle school.

Transportation must be provided by the family if they opt out of rezoning to stay at their currently enrolled school.

This choice will only apply for the student’s middle school attendance, so once the student reaches high school, they will be expected to attend their zoned high school.

According to an email communication sent out to CMCSS families Tuesday, parents and guardians of currently enrolled 6th and 7th grade students who live in rezoned areas will receive an electronic rezoning opt-out form via text and/or email on Thursday, Feb. 24.

For the high school students, rising sophomores, juniors and seniors will be able to choose either their currently assigned high school or their newly assigned high school in 2023-24 school year when Kirkwood High is expected to open.

High school students must also have their own transportation, and families of those students will receive an electronic rezoning opt-out form in advance of the 2023-24 school year when high school rezoning takes effect.