Who’s happy? Who’s not? Controversial south Charlotte school lines head for only vote

Henry Yingling says he’s dreamed about attending Myers Park High School.

For three years, the eighth-grade student at Alexander Graham Middle looked out his classroom windows and saw Myers Park’s campus. And he’s connected to the high school in other ways: his band concerts are at Myers Park; he attends high school sporting events; and multiple middle and high school clubs and sports are intertwined.

The two schools sit on the same plot of land, are less than 1,000 feet apart and designed to feed into one another.

Until now.

Henry and dozens of other Alexander Graham students will go to South Mecklenburg High School beginning the 2024-25 year if the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools board approves Superintendent Crystal Hill’s recommendation for south Charlotte relief school boundaries Tuesday.

“I want to go to a high school that I am familiar with and not have to go through the challenge of making new friends at a school that I have never stepped foot on,” Henry told The Charlotte Observer.

For thousands of families in south Charlotte, the district’s monthslong task of balancing boundaries for a massive student reassignment launched waves of emotion. All of it’s happening because a new high school opening in the 2024-25 year and middle school planned for 2025-26 need to be populated, and other schools in the area need relief from overcrowding.

Henry and his family say Hill’s proposal sucker-punched them — no previous draft included changes to the Alexander Graham Middle to Myers Park High feeder for a group that includes the Yinglings.

That’s a point echoed by communities across south Charlotte — their opposition stems from changes first raised in Hill’s final recommendation, which is likely to be the final plan. But just as some are unhappy, others around south Charlotte are content. Here’s what reaction to Hill’s recommendation looks like days from its vote.

How would Alexander Graham Middle be affected?

To prove the point Alexander Graham Middle and Myers Park High are “one campus” and should stay that way, about 70 parents and students formed a human chain Tuesday along a sidewalk from the carpool exit of the middle school to Myers Park High.

“My sons will go to high school with less than 15% of their peers,” said Brooke Neal, a mom of three. “Right now at AG, there are just 118 kids affected. That’s less than 40 per grade. I also think it’s especially cruel to take kids off of the shared campus.”

Neal hopes board members are hearing parents. She says her feeder pattern proposal needs changed, especially since it never appeared on a previous draft. A portion of Alexander Graham students currently attend Harding High School as well.

“It’s a tough spot. It feels pretty awful, actually, because Charlotte is my home and CMS is my school system, and I feel betrayed,” Neal said. “I am really hoping that the board will do the right thing here and restore our faith in CMS. These kids need them.”

Jennifer Ricketts, a mom of two, agreed.

“We were even told by CMS at one point in the yearlong process that this shift would not be happening because it didn’t make sense,” Ricketts said. “I want to be clear: I have zero issue with South Mecklenburg High School. It’s a great school. But that isn’t the point. The point is we would like our kids to be allowed to stay with their middle school peer group when moving to high school.”

Providence vs South Mecklenburg high schools

Michael Zutty is the father of two children — one of whom attends Olde Providence Elementary.

His feeder pattern currently sends both children to Myers Park High. Hill’s proposal sends them to South Mecklenburg High, and another group in the same neighborhood to Providence High.

“To my dismay, these changes are further splitting apart this nice community,” Zutty said. “I look out my front door… across the street is zoned to Providence High… To my left and right is South Meck.”

Olde Providence Elementary has been at the forefront of south Charlotte school boundary angst, with some families wanting to go to Providence High for convenience. Others say they want to go to South Mecklenburg High to create better socioeconomic diversity.

Zutty and others also don’t want the Olde Providence feeder pattern split. Though, his concern over being sent to South Mecklenburg High is mostly about home-to-school distance.

“108 hours and 645 miles — this represents the additional time and distance my kids would have to commute via school bus if we are zoned to South Meck and not Providence High,” he said. “That’s about an extra 30 minutes and three miles each day they would be on the school bus.”

Clubs and sports at new CMS high school

Sophia Gibson is the parent of two children and has lived in the Polo Ridge Elementary School zone for two years.

Gibson, whose family relocated from New Jersey for her husband’s job, chose the neighborhood for its schools. She particularly liked the fact that her children would eventually attend Ardrey Kell High.

The recommendation school board members will vote on Tuesday proposes sending Polo Ridge Elementary students to both the new relief middle and high schools. Right now, the majority of Polo Ridge Elementary families go to Jay. M. Robinson Middle and then to Ardrey Kell.

Gibson is among a large group of families who do not want their children to go to both a new middle and high school.

“It amazes me that there is actual research done on how important it is for parents and the community to be involved in their local schools and then have the board force one community to help open two at the same time,” Gibson said. “Opening a school is more than just constructing a building and shoving students inside. Creating a school community and culture is where the real work begins.”

Most parents with Gibson’s view told the Observer they’re concerned about extracurricular activities, clubs and events at the new schools.

”It’s going to take a long time to build up some of these programs at both the relief middle and high school levels and you’re asking the same group of people to support both,” Gibson said.

Polo Ridge Elementary parents are requesting the board send families to only the new middle school and allow them to attend an established high school. Although by the time any elementary school children attend the new high school, it will be a few years old.

“Many in our community accepted that we would be rezoned for middle school, but were not expecting to be moved to both new schools,” Gibson said.

Who’s happy?

Lorin Bent is mom to two children in the International Baccalaureate program at Huntingtowne Farms Elementary and the school’s parent-teacher association president. The family’s currently assigned path takes them from Huntingtowne Farms to Randolph Middle and East Mecklenburg High.

The Bents’ path will change if the superintendent’s proposal is approved to Quail Hollow Middle and the new relief high school.

But Bent is supportive of final plans. The school splits at least three ways already.

“For us, it’s not about whether our own kids or even our own school ends up in what we think is the best scenario,” Bent said. “It’s about ensuring equity — getting students the resources and opportunities they need.”

Bent and multiple parents from Huntingtowne Farms told the Observer Hill’s recommendation creates more equitable schools in the south region.

”While change can be hard, we support the changes put forth and are glad to be part of solutions that will create strong schools across South County for years to come,” Bent said.

When will CMS vote on south Charlotte plans?

Dennis LaCaria, executive director of facilities and real estate planning, says district officials have received thousands of responses to the plan, including responses by email, calls and input on an online feedback form.

LaCaria said CMS will not make changes to Hill’s recommendation, which she released May 15. The only revisions or adjustments that can be made will have to come from school board members June 6 when they’re scheduled to vote on the plan.

The meeting will start at 6 p.m. at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center at 600 E. 4th St.

LaCaria told the Observer that it’s not unheard of for board members to suggest tweaks, but recommendations that impact dozens of families are like pulling a thread that can “unravel the plan.” Hill and board members made clear a vote must happen and delaying a vote is “unlikely.”

“The intent behind the superintendent’s recommendation is to provide the best possible outcome for the greatest number of students for the longest possible planning horizon,” LaCaria said.