Posted: Tuesday, September 3, 2024

Greenville County Schools continues to experience student population growth from new residential development and population increases within the GCS attendance area. In an effort to address this, Greenville County Schools is constructing Reedy Laurel Elementary School at 61 Isbell Lane, Greenville, SC 29607 to open in August 2025. 

With the construction of a new school, Greenville County Schools is recommending student assignment boundary changes.

The recommended assignment plan incorporates 24 school boundary changes at all levels: elementary, middle and high. The total affected student population is approximately 900 students, including 600 students assigned to the new Reedy Laurel Elementary School. 

Families of current GCS students who are directly impacted are receiving information through personalized communications by letter, email and voice message using the current contact information on file. 

While there are 24 recommended school boundary changes, some school boundary changes currently include zero Greenville County Schools students. Additionally, the recommended plan eliminates 18 attendance “islands” across the District. An island is defined as a geocode that is not contiguous (not connected) to a school’s main attendance area.

The recommendation is to initially populate Reedy Laurel Elementary School with grades K5 through 2nd and add one additional grade per academic year. Under this plan, all six grade levels, K5 through 5th, will be fully populated in 2028-29. The school will be built for approximately 750 students.

The recommended assignment plan for the new Reedy Laurel Elementary will directly feed Dr. Phinnize J. Fisher Middle, Beck International Academy, J.L. Mann High Academy, and Southside High.

Other recommended school assignment boundary changes will populate one grade per academic year, starting with K5, 6th and 9th in the 2025-26 school year. Under this plan, all six elementary grade levels will be fully populated in 2030-31. All three middle grade levels will be fully populated in 2027-28. All four high grade levels will be fully populated in 2028-29. 

The Special Education Department will continue to make individual student assignments for students with disabilities whose services are provided in specialized classrooms.

There were multiple ways to provide public input or ask questions about the plan ahead of the September 24, 2024 deadline including:

  • By Email
  • In Writing
  • In Person: The in-person meeting times were on 9/16, 9/18, 9/19, 9/23, and 9/24.

Based on input received, GCS administration submitted a final plan to the Board of Trustees to be considered at the Board’s Committee of the Whole meeting on October 8. Final approval is expected at the October 22 regular monthly Board meeting.

The following schools could be affected as listed below, based on current enrollment:

Elementary Schools

School

Number of Students

AJ Whittenberg Elementary

+6

Augusta Circle Elementary

0*

Bethel Elementary

-26

Blythe Academy

+9

East North Street Academy

-4

Greenbrier Elementary

-17

Grove Elementary

-29

Mauldin Elementary

-238

Mitchell Road Elementary

-35

Pelham Road Elementary

-126

Oakview Elementary

+81

Sara Collins Elementary

-176

Sue Cleveland Elementary

-57

Summit Drive Elementary

-3

Thomas E. Kerns Elementary

+86

Woodland Elementary

-36

Middle Schools

School

Number of Students

Greenville Middle Academy

-2

Hughes Academy

-1

League Academy

+3

Sevier Middle

0*

High Schools

School

Number of Students

Carolina High & Academy

+22

Eastside High

-2

Greenville Sr. High Academy

+12

Wade Hampton High

-10

Woodmont High

-22

*While the school’s attendance area may change, zero current students are impacted.

Numbers are from 2023-24 school data. This plan allows for continued growth from lower grades and new residential growth in the various school attendance areas.

Important Documents

Reedy Laurel Attendance Area Packet

Impacted Schools: Augusta Circle Elementary, Bethel Elementary, Blythe Academy, East North Street Academy, Greenbrier Elementary, Mauldin Elementary, Mitchell Road Elementary, Pelham Road Elementary, Reedy Laurel Elementary, Sara Collins Elementary, Summit Drive Elementary

Oakview Attendance Area Packet

Impacted Schools: Mauldin Elementary, Oakview Elementary, Woodland Elementary

Thomas E. Kerns Attendance Area Packet

Impacted Schools: Grove Elementary, Sue Cleveland Elementary, Thomas E. Kerns Elementary

Middle School Attendance Area Packet

Impacted Schools: Greenville Middle Academy, Hughes Academy, League Academy, Sevier Middle

Carolina High and Academy Attendance Area Packet

Impacted Schools: Carolina High, Woodmont High

Greenville Sr. High Academy Attendance Area Packet

Impacted Schools: Eastside High, Greenville Sr. High Academy, Wade Hampton High

Frequently Asked Questions

Families of current Greenville County Schools students affected by the boundary changes will be notified in writing via U.S. Mail and by email based on the contact information on file.

The administration’s recommendation includes an allowance to keep siblings together. Under this plan, students in the affected geocodes reassigned to a new school will be provided permission for younger siblings to attend school based on their older siblings’ 2025-2026 school assignment. This allowance will continue as long as a family has an older student enrolled in the currently zoned school, when the younger sibling begins. This allows families to remain together at the specific level of reassignment. Once the older sibling initially assigned to the current school graduates or is promoted to another level (i.e. elementary to middle), school bus transportation will no longer be provided to the current school. Transportation will be provided to the proposed, newly assigned school.

For specific questions, email planning@greenville.k12.sc.us by September 24, 2024. Questions and comments can be submitted in writing to Greenville County Schools, Planning and Demographics Department, 2 Space Drive, Taylors, SC 29687.

Public input meetings will be held:

  • Monday, September 16, 2024 – 5:30pm. – Mauldin High Auditorium at 701 E. Butler Rd., Mauldin, SC 29662
    • Focus: Oakview Elementary, Woodland Elementary, Mauldin Elementary (to Oakview), Mitchell Road Elementary
  • Wednesday, September 18, 2024 – 5:30pm. – Roper Mountain Science Center at 402 Roper Mountain Rd., Greenville, SC 29615
    • Focus: Augusta Circle Elementary, Bethel Elementary, Blythe Academy, East North Street Academy, Greenbrier Elementary, Mauldin Elementary (to Blythe Academy & Reedy Laurel Elementary), Pelham Road Elementary, Reedy Laurel Elementary, Sara Collins Elementary, and Summit Drive Elementary
  • Thursday, September 19, 2024 – 5:30pm. – MT Anderson Support Center at 100 Blassingame Rd., Greenville, SC 29605
    • Focus: Grove Elementary, Sue Cleveland Elementary, Thomas E. Kerns Elementary, Greenville Middle Academy, Hughes Academy, League Academy, Sevier Middle, Carolina High Academy, Greenville Sr. High Academy, Eastside High, Wade Hampton High, Woodmont High

No. Families can attend the meeting that works best for them but ideally would attend the meeting that correlates with the proposed assigned school. Meetings will focus on potential reassignment of the listed schools; however, staff will be available to answer questions about any impacted school.

Mauldin Elementary has students that will be reassigned to three different schools. It is recommended that families attend the meeting that correlates with the proposed assigned school, but families can attend the meeting that works best for them.

If your child attends or is reassigned to a school receiving free lunch under the Community Eligibility Provision, free lunch will still be provided. Learn more about the schools in the program. The GCS Food & Nutrition Services department is currently working through the process to determine if Reedy Laurel Elementary will be a Community Eligibility Provision school. 

Breakfast is provided free of charge to all Greenville County students, regardless of their meal status.

We anticipate that space will be available through the school choice programs. Learn more about the GCS school choice process and application deadlines.

Students attending Reedy Laurel Elementary or any other school they are assigned will still qualify for transportation as long as they do not reside within the 1.5-mile zone of the school where transportation is not normally provided.  

If a younger sibling assigned to Reedy Laurel Elementary remains at their currently assigned elementary school due to having an older sibling (grades 3-5) in attendance there, transportation will be provided as long as the older sibling is still in attendance. Once the older sibling graduates or is promoted to another level (i.e. elementary to middle), school bus transportation will no longer be provided to the current school. 

If a student attends Reedy Laurel Elementary or another school through the school choice program, transportation is not provided. 

Based on input received, GCS administration will submit a final plan to the Board of Trustees to be considered at the Board’s Committee of the Whole meeting on October 8. Final approval is expected at the October 22 regular monthly Board meeting.

Attendance zones are not reviewed on a schedule but on an as-needed basis. For example, the zones can be reviewed based on the development of a new school (in this case Reedy Laurel Elementary) or an expansion to an existing school building.

The school will serve up to 750 students in grades preK-5. It will sit on the former site of J.L. Mann High Academy, which moved to its current location in 2007. Learn more about the how the new school got its name and its education focus.

Opportunities for Public Input

Public input meetings will be held:

  • Monday, September 16, 2024 – 5:30pm. – Mauldin High Auditorium at 701 E. Butler Rd., Mauldin, SC 29662
    • Focus: Oakview Elementary, Woodland Elementary, Mauldin Elementary (to Oakview), Mitchell Road Elementary
  • Wednesday, September 18, 2024 – 5:30pm. – Roper Mountain Science Center at 402 Roper Mountain Rd., Greenville, SC 29615
    • Focus: Augusta Circle Elementary, Bethel Elementary, Blythe Academy, East North Street Academy, Greenbrier Elementary, Mauldin Elementary (to Blythe Academy & Reedy Laurel Elementary), Pelham Road Elementary, Reedy Laurel Elementary, Sara Collins Elementary, and Summit Drive Elementary
  • Thursday, September 19, 2024 – 5:30pm. – MT Anderson Support Center at 100 Blassingame Rd., Greenville, SC 29605
    • Focus: Grove Elementary, Sue Cleveland Elementary, Thomas E. Kerns Elementary, Greenville Middle Academy, Hughes Academy, League Academy, Sevier Middle, Carolina High Academy, Greenville Sr. High Academy, Eastside High, Wade Hampton High, Woodmont High

Families can attend the meeting that works best for them but ideally would attend the meeting that coordinates with the proposed assigned school. Meetings will focus on potential reassignment of the listed schools; however, staff will be available to answer questions about any impacted school.

Map viewings will be held on Monday, September 23, from 3-5 p.m. and Tuesday, September 24, from 9-11 a.m. and 3-5 p.m. at 2 Space Drive, Taylors, SC 29687. Use the door marked “Planning and Demographics.”

Families of current Greenville County Schools students affected by the boundary changes will be notified in writing via U.S. Mail and by email based on the contact information on file.

For specific questions, email planning@greenville.k12.sc.us by September 24, 2024. Questions and comments can be submitted in writing to Greenville County Schools, Planning and Demographics Department, 2 Space Drive, Taylors, SC 29687.


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