By MOLLY DAVIDSON / Staff Writer

HOOVER—Hoover City Schools feeder zones will not change in the system’s proposed upcoming rezoning, although just over 2,500 students will be moved. The proposed rezoning plan, revealed during a Feb. 4 community meeting, attempts to address student distribution throughout schools and resource utilization, with an eye toward future development in the city.

Although the rezoning plan is a critical step in the school system’s effort to obtain unitary status, HCS Superintendent Dr. Kathy Murphy said students have been the main focus and priority throughout the process to develop the plan.

“This plan is not about Kathy Murphy, and it’s not, with all due respect, about you,” Murphy said to the many parents and Hoover community members that filled the pews of the Metropolitan Church of God. “It’s about children, all children.”

The majority of the plan’s changes involve schools in the western part of the city, while the Hoover schools in Shelby County—Greystone Elementary, Riverchase Elementary, Berry Middle and Spain Park High school—remain largely the same.

What will change is the utilization of the schools. For example, Berry Middle School will shift from operating at 89 percent capacity to 85 percent capacity as a result of the rezoning plan. Spain Park High School will see less of a difference, rising slightly from operating at 80 percent capacity to 81 percent capacity.

“This plan allows us to better utilize these schools that were at a lower utilization number,” Murphy said.

The rezoning plan was also constructed to accommodate projected population growth in Hoover.

“We want this plan to last as long as possible,” Murphy said. “We just don’t want to have to do this to us, to you, to your children again.”

Eighteen percent of the school system’s student body, or 2,516 students, will be rezoned to a new school. Of these students, 68 percent are elementary schoolers, Murphy said.

The rezoning plan does allow grandfathering in certain cases. Current eight through 11th grade students will not be required to changes schools. Additionally, current fourth and seventh graders may remain at their school next year.

“We hope that is beneficial in making this proposed plan more palatable to our community,” Murphy said.

However, transportation for students who do choose to remain at their current school through grandfathering will become the responsibility of the parents.

Welcome meetings and orientations will be scheduled for children who have been rezoned and their families.

Murphy encouraged the community to examine the plan and provide feedback to be considered as the plan is finalized.

A finalized rezoning plan will be presented to the HCS Board of Education around March 7 and around March 14 a motion will be filed with the federal court to approve the plan. Murphy said she hopes to see the plan come before United States District Judge Madeline Haikala around April 7 or 8.

“Tonight is an important night in the life of our school system,” Murphy said.