Parents question where Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools students will soon learn

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools leaders shared a draft of their South County Relief Schools plan during a meeting at Myers Park High School Monday night.

Many parents who attended the meeting shared that they have many questions as to where their children will learn during the 2024-2025 school year.

Laura Grant, a parent of two CMS students, said she is concerned that with the proposed boundary and feeder changes, her two teens will be forced to go to different high schools.

Grant also shared she is not aware of a “grandfathering” system in place for students who already attend Myers Park High.

“It would potentially be disrupting families. I would potentially have a senior at one school and a freshman at a different school,” Grant said.

The South County Relief plan involves changing where students will potentially go to elementary, middle, and high school, dividing students to separate schools depending on where they fall within the proposed map.

Related: Interim Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools superintendent talks school reassignments

There are other concerns Grant has when it comes to the school district’s plan, which is why she attended the meeting Monday.

“I’m hoping that they’ll finally listen to us in a manner that they can’t just say ‘thank you’, and continue to go on at least answer the questions that we have that are, you’re violating the guided principals; please explain to us why,” said Grant.

Grant has created a petition against the changes. It has reached nearly 1,000 signatures.

Some parents like Marianne Mieszczak are concerned about whether IB programs will still be offered at the other schools, and how the district will find the resources to staff the district’s ideas for new and current schools.

“There hasn’t been enough time for feedback. There’s a new board, there’s no superintendent. How are you going to staff these schools when we can’t staff the schools that we have now? Where are you pulling this from?” Mieszczak said.

Speaking on behalf of CMS, Dennis Lacaria, a planning supervisor within the district, said that was why Monday’s meeting was held, to hear concerns and factor them into the district’s final plan.

“Those are things that we’ll work through going forward, so it remains to be unseen on some of that programmatic. Historically when we’ve opened a new high school, we have left the seniors at their school so the rising seniors, when they open the new school, can stay at the school that they started in. We’re getting feedback from the community allowing juniors to have that same grace,” Lacaria said.

Lacaria added CMS will present a final draft to the board of education at the beginning of May, and receive a vote for recommendation sometime towards the end of May. He shared that the recommendation would go into effect for the new high school in 2024.

In the meantime, CMS is encouraging people to look at their plan and leave feedback by filling out a survey.

Another South County Relief community meeting is scheduled for March 29 at South Mecklenburg High School.

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