PETITION TO KEEP THE NEIGHBORHOODS MADE UP OF BRUCE ROAD, BROCKTON GLEN, MOUNT ROYAL DRIVE, OAK LANE AND TIMOTHY DRIVE IN THE SAGAMORE HILLS SCHOOL DISTRICT The redistricting recommendations presented by Dekalb County School System Interim Superintendent Ramona Tyson on February 7, 2011 propose that 90 Sagamore Hills Elementary students be moved to Briar Vista Elementary. The purpose of this petition is to request that the boundary line under the recommended plan be amended to keep 8 of the 90 students in the Sagamore Hills Elementary District. The Sagamore Hills Community respectfully requests that certain neighborhoods made up of homes on (1)Bruce Road, (2)Brockton Glen, (3)Mount Royal Drive (4)Oak Lane and (5)Timothy Drive remain in the Sagamore Hills Elementary School District for the following reasons: Less Disruption. Leaving these families at Sagamore Hills Elementary would minimize disruption to the students of Sagamore Hills Elementary. There is no need to disrupt families in these community neighborhoods, as Sagamore Hills Elementary has the capacity to keep the 8 students that live in these neighborhoods. Proximity. These neighborhoods are within 1 to 1.5 miles of Sagamore Hills Elementary (these locations would be orange on the distance map provided on the county’s redistricting website). These neighborhoods are 2.5 to 3 miles to Briar Vista (green on the distance map). The families in these neighborhoods are within walking distance to Sagamore Hills Elementary. Walking to Briar Vista is simply not a realistic expectation given 1) the distance, 2) the lack of sidewalks, and 3) the number of high-traffic intersections along the 3 mile route. The location of Briar Vista would make for a very dangerous walk to school. Traffic Congestion. The commute times would increase significantly for these families if children in these neighborhoods are sent to Briar Vista Elementary. The commute would include driving through the large and congested intersections of Briarcliff Road at North Druid Hills Road and Briarcliff Road at LaVista Road. Community. These neighborhoods are part of the Sagamore Hills community and the children living in these neighborhoods have ties to this community and the people living in this community. The children and families in these neighborhoods have no ties to the Briar Vista community. Enrollment. The Superintendent’s Recommendations propose the enrollment at Sagamore Hills Elementary to be 430 students, while the capacity at Sagamore Hills Elementary is 437. Sagamore Hills Elementary has the capacity to keep the 8 students that live in these neighborhoods. I SUPPORT the proposal to keep these neighborhoods listed above in the Sagamore Hills Elementary School District. This proposal promotes Dekalb County’s goals of (1) minimizing the distance non-choice students travel to school and (2) supporting community cohesion by maintaining intact neighborhoods.