This week, at its regularly scheduled monthly meeting, the Wayne County Board of Education approved a redistricting plan for the newly constructed Fremont Elementary. The Board approved “Map Option 1” for the new boundaries, which essentially covers the top east to west portion of Wayne County [PDF Map Download Link].
In February dozens of parents and staff from Fremont Elementary, Northeast Elementary, and Northwest Elementary attended a district information session to learn more about the redistricting process. Two draft redistricting map options were presented and a public comment period was held over the next 30 days.
“We appreciate the input from families, staff and community members from northern Wayne County,” adds Dr. Marc Whichard, WCPS Superintendent. “During our public comment period, approximately 80 percent of respondents were in favor of this plan.”
Dr. Whichard, with the support of the Board of Education Facilities Committee, recommended that the Board move forward with “Map Option 1” for redistricting. The recommendation was based on the feedback from families, staff, and community members, along with consideration of potential growth anticipated from subdivisions being planned and/or built near the town of Fremont.
As part of next steps, families from Fremont Elementary, Northeast Elementary, and Northwest Elementary will be notified about new school boundary maps for next year. Parents and staff can view the map in-person at each of the three elementary schools. Families and interested members of the public can also view a copy of the maps online at www.waynecountyschools.org.
Background: Wayne County has received $30 million in grant funding through the North Carolina Needs-Based Public School Grant Funds for the construction of the Fremont Elementary school. It is important to note that the school will be able to accommodate more than three times as many students as the current school of approximately 230 students, which will be vital for helping address K-3 class-size needs in northern Wayne County. It will also have energy efficient HVAC systems, upgraded furniture and technology, and advanced safety and security features. The school district broke ground on the project in August 2022. The school will officially open in August 2024.
The two draft redistricting map options were developed by Cropper GIS Consulting, LLC, which specializes in demographic and facility planning for K-12 school systems, cities, counties, and federal agencies. Map Option 1 will give the new Fremont Elementary an estimated enrollment of 548 students and a 73% building utilization rate in 2024-2025, which will reduce populations at Northeast Elementary and Northwest Elementary and the need for mobile classrooms.