The Forsyth County BOE has released their proposed elementary school rezoning for the 2020/2021 school year. The draft of the new elementary school zoning map includes the redistricting of Lake Forest and Cool Springs. Both neighborhoods are currently zoned for Coal Mountain Elementary. The BOE is proposing to move both neighborhoods to Matt Elementary.

The residents of Lake Forest and Cool Springs are opposed to the redistricting for many reasons, including, but not limited to:

• Matt Elementary will be at 97% capacity after the rezoning and Coal Mountain will be at 91% capacity. If the intent of the rezoning is to balance school attendance, the numbers just don't make sense.
• The travel time and logistics from Lake Forest and Cool Springs to Matt Elementary. The travel time from each neighborhood will be triple, or in some cases quadruple, the current travel time to Coal Mountain. This will create an undue hardship, especially on working parents. The logistics of the new route also includes two left turns at busy intersections, rather than the safer right turns that comprise the current bus routes to Coal Mountain Elementary.
• The impact the move will have on Coal Mountain itself. For the last three years, all of the PTO board members have come from Lake Forest and Cool Springs. The majority of other parent volunteers for the school have come from the two neighborhoods as well. The extra services and opportunities Coal Mountain is able to offer its students will suffer greatly with this rezoning.
• Established feeder patterns could also impact middle school zoning in the 2021/2022 school year. This could effect the children in these neighborhoods for years to come.

If you are opposed to this rezoning for the 2020/2021 school year, please sign this petition and let your voices be heard. Forsyth County continues to provide excellent educational opportunities for our students, but this proposed rezoning does not meet those standards.