Rezoning plan approved for 17 schools to curb crowding

Mona Shield Payne / Special to the Home News

William Lummis Elementary fifth-grader Morgan Calder, center, walks down Hillpointe Road to school with her parents Marsha and Craig Calder on Monday. This is designated a safe route for parents to park near schools without causing traffic congestion.

By Ana Ley

Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2014 | 9:45 p.m.

Clark County School Board members on Wednesday voted to rezone more than 1,000 students next school year to alleviate classroom crowding.

The plan was developed by the Attendance Zone Advisory Committee, a group composed of community and parent volunteers who conducted public input meetings on several rezoning proposals to tackle the problem.

A group of parents expressed disappointment over the decision during Wednesday’s night’s meeting.

Kelli Mendenhall, mother of two children at Givens Elementary — one of 17 affected campuses — said the rezoning efforts were a short-term solution. The number of students at Clark County campuses will only continue growing, she explained.

“It’s like we are trying to see just how close we can get to the edge of a cliff without going over it,” Mendenhall said. “Aren’t we close enough already?”

Mendenhall and other parents also voiced concerns about the school district’s recent decision to put 10 schools on a year-round calendar, also to alleviate crowding.

“The two messages I’ve heard is no rezoning and no year-round,” Superintendent Pat Skorkowsky told the parents. “That leaves us with very few options.”