Limestone County schools redistricting vote set for March

TANNER — Limestone County is the state’s fastest growing county and is enduring the accompanying growing pains.

To that end, homes that used to be out in the country are now abutted by subdivisions. Huntsville’s spillover across I-65 is affecting Limestone County so much, that some parts of the county have been annexed into the Rocket City.

With all of the growth, small school districts have grown and larger school districts have exploded. So, to help alleviate the student growth, the Limestone County school system is taking steps to keep up with the population growth.

And, that means redrawing district lines. Schools on the eastside of the county are at capacity and need relief. To ease the overcrowding, families will see rezoning and their kids may be going to different schools – some several miles away from their homes.

Another part of the equation is trying to keep families together and allow students to finish in the schools they started.

Limestone County Schools Superintendent Randy Shearhouse said the system will have to “maximize facilities” to help solve the problem.

The school system plans to vote on a rezoning plan next month. If approved, the new zoning for students will go into effect next fall. The board meeting will be at Creekside Elementary School, one of the schools that are full.

Click here to view the full proposed map.

The rezoning plan is:

• Elkmont expansion will absorb the Piney Chapel school zone as well as absorb a portion of the East Limestone school zone west of Mooresville Road to the Athens city limits, south to Nick Davis Road then west to Newby Chapel Road, then south to the Athens city limits down to Kennedy Road, then north (on the east side) of Oakdale Road to Alabama 251, getting it back to the south portion of the old Piney Chapel school zone.
• The Johnson/Ardmore expansion will start at Copeland Road, on Mooresville Road heading south to Barksdale Road, then east toward Love Branch Road and follow Orville Smith Road to the county line and back north to Copeland Road.
• Clements/Blue Springs expansion will extend to Brownsferry Road, starting at Zehner Road up to the Athens city limits Tanner expansion will absorb all of the East Limestone/Creekside zone south of Huntsville Brownsferry Road all the way to the river.

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