This evening at Karns High School at 6:00 p.m. will be the third and last parent meeting for discussion of the zone lines for the Hardin Valley High School.
Brian's Blog has been given a proposal that is being circulated within the Town of Farragut. This is an attempt to make Farragut High School exclusive for the Town people. Brian's Blog will be following up with a story about the history of the Town of Farragut and its relationship with the School System, within the next day or two.
ATTENTION
Proposed Zoning Recommendation
For Farragut High School when new Hardin Valley H.S. Opens
If you have not already heard, there is a very strong possibility that all the residents of the Town of Farragut may not be zoned for Farragut High School when the Hardin Valley High School opens in the fall of 2008. Some non-Farragut residents may be zoned for FHS. Our community, the Town of Farragut, is about to be dismembered. This decision affects all of us with children and those without children. Because whether your child is in kindergarten or 8th grade, this decision will affect them. Do you want your child's friends to be sent to a different school once they reach 9th grade? I think we need to get EVERYONE in Farragut to see this as a common goal -- not just 7th and 8th grade parents. If you don’t have children, this could effect who wants to purchase your house someday.
Many people, often without good information, purchase homes in Farragut with the understanding that they would go to schools named after Admiral Farragut, the town’s namesake. The Town of Farragut doesn’t manage or own the schools. The schools are a function and responsibility of Knox County Government and the Knox County School Board.
However, other than the City of Knoxville and Town of Farragut, there isn’t another incorporated town or city in Knox County. We believe that makes us unique. While many moved here for the schools, others moved here for the deep sense of community. Farragut Schools were first built more than 100 years ago by the people of the unincorporated area now know as Farragut. Many years later, Knox County built new schools. The old school house was where Food City stands today – in the heart of Farragut. It once housed grades K-12 and was torn down in 1976. It was the people of the Farragut community who built the athletic buildings and fields for the current school buildings. Boundaries of the Town of Farragut have not changed since it was incorporated back in 1980. We feel that the residents of the Town of Farragut should have first priority for zoning to Farragut High School.
Here is how you can help. We need to work together to apply pressure on all levels of government leadership and the Knox County school administration to keep our community TOGETHER. The decision will be made before the end of the year. Schedule of events:
October 3, 6:00 p.m. in the Farragut High School Auditorium
October 9, 6:00 p.m. in the Bearden High School Auditorium
October 12, 7:00 p.m. Farragut City Council Meeting
October 12, 6:00 p.m. in the Karns High School Auditorium
Residents with students enrolled in the Farragut, Karns and Bearden High School zones were individually notified of these meetings in letters mailed through the United States Postal Service.
The current meeting schedule for establishing a zone for Hardin Valley High School is:
Monday, Oct. 23 Andrew Johnson Bldg.
Board Work Session-Boardroom Overview of Community Meetings
Monday, Nov. 20 Andrew Johnson Bldg.
Board Work Session-Boardroom Presentation/Discussionof proposed zone for HVHS
Monday, Dec. 4 Andrew Johnson Bldg.
Board Work Session - Boardroom Discussion of proposed zone for HVHS
Wednesday, Dec. 6 City/County Building
Board of Education - Large Assembly Room Action Concerning HVHSZone
We need people in each Farragut subdivision to act as liaisons to spread the word through emails and subdivision newsletters and sign get petitions signed for every neighborhood. We need people to attend the above meetings to show support for our community.
The attached PDF is a complete list of the government leadership in Knox County. As you will see, the Town of Farragut and City of Knoxville are the only city forms of government outside of Knox County. Obviously, the City of Knoxville is too large to have all its residents under one school. But Farragut is not.
Below is our proposal for the new zoning.
Recommendation Number 1: Start with the Town of Farragut Boundaries
The goal is that the rezoning will put Farragut far below its 90% building capacity. If everyone who resides in Farragut remains in the FHS zone, we would be below the 90% factor with room to grow.
Recommendation Number 2: Prioritize feeder schools such as Farragut Middle School
Until forecasted capacity is reached extend the area outside Town of Farragut boundaries to include students in the current Farragut Middle School zone.
Recommendation Number 3: Put our money where our mouth is!
Allow the Town of Farragut in exchange for the above zoning to purchase land to build a new K-5 primary school in exchange for keeping the above recommended zoning. Donate land to the Knox County School Board in the southwest sector of the Town for a new K-5 or K-8 school. OR purchase land in the SW sector of the Town and offer the land to the Knox County School Board for a new K-5 or K-8 school. In exchange for the Town donating sufficient land to build a K- 5 or K-8 school off of McFee Road or on another suitable site within the Town, the following conditions should be met:
1) If the Knox County School Board does not proceed with building a school within a fixed period of time (probably five years) the land would revert back to the Town without conditions.
2) If the Knox County School Board abandons the building as a school, the Town would have the option to purchase the facility at a fair market value.
3) The site plan and building must comply with the Town of Farragut regulations. This will result in a review by the Town of Farragut Municipal Planning Commission and inspections by the TOF building codes staff.
4) Other cooperative and joint uses of adjacent parks, playgrounds, and facilities should be enacted by the Farragut Board of Mayor and Alderman and the Knox County School Board.
If you agree with this proposal, please get involved.
If you would like more information or have additional suggestions please contact Pamela Treacy at Treacyfam@aol.com and 675-3949
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