The Carmel Clay School Board approved a plan for city-wide redistricting in the Aug. 23 school board meeting. According to school board president Tricia Hackett, redistricting will be put in place by the start of the 2011-2012 school year. Hackett said the school district has been experiencing uneven growth in the past few years.

“The growth of elementary and middle school students has occurred primarily on the west side of our district leaving College Wood, Towne Meadow and West Clay elementary schools with over 700 students. Carmel Elementary is also using every room in its building,” Hackett said. “On the other hand, Cherry Tree and Mohawk Trails elementary schools have shown a reduction in student population and several elementary schools continue to include space for more students.”

The school board is striving to make the redistricting process transparent to the community. It has recruited volunteers for a Parent Advisory Council (PAC), which will work closely with the redistricting administrative team and the schools themselves.

“All members of the community may provide input via a website, their PAC representatives and school-based PAC open meetings,” Hackett said.

Junior Kevin Zhang, who lives on the west side of Carmel, said he has noticed the growth and feels that redistricting will be in the best interest of the school district.

“Redistricting will make things less crowded. It won’t affect me much, but I know that it will benefit the future students of Carmel to learn in a less cramped environment.”

Hackett said a plan will be finalized by early 2011. It can be viewed by the public at www1.ccs.k12.in.us/district/downloads/cms_block_file/31407/file/24469. By Rebecca Xu <[email protected]>