Grand Prairie ISD school board approves rezoning plan

by Kirk Dickey of Grand Prairie TODAY

School rezoning and restructuring plans that earlier met with contentious debate passed with little fanfare and no vocal opposition at the May 14 Grand Prairie School Board meeting.

The new school attendance zones will go into effect in the 2010-11 school year.

Plans include closing Houston Elementary School, repurposing Lee Middle School as an elementary campus, repurposing Bonham Elementary as an early childhood development center, repurposing Crockett Elementary as a fifth grade center and repurposing Fannin Elementary as a middle school.

“This rezoning benefits the district with an estimated $1.5 million in annual savings,” consultant Don Hooper told the board, presenting the proposed changes at the meeting.

Hooper said the district had done a thorough job of listening to community stakeholders regarding the rezoning and modified its plans at times to make sure the community's concerns were taken into account.

Superintendent Susan Simpson said the measures should improve student success and reduce transportation requirements in addition to saving money.

Several speakers addressed the school board about the plans.

Maggie Walters Williams, the parent of a child who benefited from early childhood education, told the board about her struggle with a child who stopped speaking. She supported the changes because they could help other mothers in similar circumstances.

“If we do the rezoning correctly . . . If we turn Bonham Elementary into a pre-K center, you will be saving a lot of moms like me in the future from having to wait two years to hear (their child speak) again,” she said. “You will be investing in the next generation of students.”

Tiffany Price, one of two Lee Middle School teachers who spoke in favor of the rezoning efforts, said she believed they would be positive for the school's students.

“Many of the students I talk to feel like they are really neglected, and Grand Prairie, as a community, does not have very high expectations for them,” she said, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy.

She said they act out and underachieve because they think no one expects much. But she believes that changing schools will spark new pride, because they will have their own football field and the first middle school soccer program in the district.

“They'll be at the school other kids want to go to and they‘ll be proud of it,” she said, then added, “I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that it will change the school culture and many of them will want to go to (Fannin).”

Houston Elementary Principal Christy Hanson also spoke at the meeting, saying that Highway 161 being laid next to the school has raised some concerns about student safety. But she also said the rezoning positively affects diversity of the affected schools. Students do better academically and have more socially-positive interactions in more diverse populations, she said.

“I think the rezoning recommendations would offer all the students of the northwest quadrant a rich diversity which they could benefit from.”