"It affects me a lot."
Erin Davis
City schools face rezoning
By: Shaniqua Scott and Tatyana Cooks
About 500 students in Tuscaloosa will be affected by the new zoning plan for the schools in the area. Students will transfer schools based less on location zoning and more on academic performance.
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Tuscaloosa City Schools Coordinator Of Public Relations, Lesley Bruinton, said the zoning plan covers, “curriculum, human resources and construction.”
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Bruinton listed a number of schools that will be affected by the rezoning plan: Central High, Bryant High, Northridge High, Woodland Forrest Elementary, Eastwood Middle and Southview Middle.
Northridge’s total student population will be reduced by about 200 students. Paul W. Bryant will gain about 200 students and Central will gain about 100.
High school students are more affected within this zoning change.
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Three students from Northridge who will make the transition to Paul W. Bryant for the 2016-2017 academic year, shared their perspectives about the change of location.
Rising Sophomore Alexys Dubose had mixed emotions about the switch.
The zoning plan covers, “curriculum, human resources and construction.”
Lesley Bruinton, Coordinator of Public City Relations for Tuscaloosa City Schools.
“I think that it's good, but then again it's not good because for some people it's closer and more opportunities, but bad because so many students going to one school will be more crowded and more drama,” said Dubose. “It's hard because I'm in band so I learn so many new things, it's confusing.”
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Other students feel comfortable with the change.
Similar to Dubose, Kyenna Hurns, a rising senior, attended Northridge and made the switch for the coming year to Bryant High School. Hurns had a positive reaction to the plan. She looked at the move as a fresh start.
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“I actually like the change. I feel as though Bryant has a better learning environment,” Hurns said. “At Bryant they actually reward you for your hard work and achievements by having fun days.”
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The zoning plan also impacted rising junior Erin Davis, who is leaving Northridge to attend Bryant.
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“It affects me a lot,” Davis said. “I’m leaving behind my friends and transferring my last years of school – feels dumb to me.”