The Roanoke County School Board approved a plan recently that will shuffle students around over the next few years in southwest Roanoke County at all levels: elementary, middle and high schools. With two schools currently exceeding capacity (Oak Grove Elementary, Hidden Valley High School) and some students having to share lockers at Cave Spring Middle School and at Hidden Valley High, the School Board was aiming for better balance.
Part of the problem stems from the fact that Cave Spring Middle School is in dire need of expansion. That would siphon students away from Hidden Valley Middle School and ultimately the high school of the same name, which was at or above capacity shortly after it opened eight years ago.
The School Board held several public input sessions months ago, gauging how southwest county residents felt about realigning attendance zones. The redistricting plans for elementary schools take effect with the 2011-2012 school year; secondary schools will be realigned the following fall.
Affected will be some students at Cave Spring, Clearbrook, Green Valley, Oak Grove and Penn Forest elementary schools, Cave Spring and Hidden Valley middle schools and at Cave Spring and Hidden Valley high schools.
“With the completion of renovations and expansions to Cave Spring and Green Valley elementary schools, we see an opportune time to adjust the elementary school attendance areas, to allow us to better use the additional instructional space resulting from the renovations,” said Roanoke County Schools Deputy Superintendent Allen Journell.
Preliminary architectural and engineering work for the Cave Spring Middle School renovations is also in progress. “Additional space at Cave Spring Middle will allow us to adjust the secondary attendance areas [and further] reduce the crowded conditions at Hidden Valley High,” said Journell, noting there would be better balance in the enrollments at Cave Spring and Hidden Valley high schools.
Hidden Valley currently has about 400 more students than does Cave Spring. The southwest county high school attendance zone was carved up when Hidden Valley opened its doors in 2002.
By Gene Marrano [email protected]