What changes are coming to Rockingham County Public Schools?

On January 27th, 2020, Rockingham County Schools voted to enact a redistricting proposal with the hopes of alleviating overcrowding at two schools. The following changes will take effect this summer:

1. Students from South River Elementary School will now attend Elkton Middle School (instead of Montevideo Middle School).

2. Students from Montevideo Middle School who live in the South River Elementary School district will attend East Rockingham High School (as opposed to Spotswood High School).

3. A grandfathering rule allows will students already at these schools to stay until it is naturally time for them to switch; 5th graders will attend their newly designated middle school and 8th graders will attend their newly grandfathered high school. 

4.  Another grandfathering rule allows a current Montevideo middle schooler (who lives in the South River Elementary School district) to attend Spotswood High School through graduation if they have an older sibling at that high school who has decided to stay at the school. 

The Rockingham County School Board is also considering a pilot program to test new start times for some county schools. The proposed changes, if passed, would affect Turner Ashby High School, Wilbur S. Pence Middle School, John Wayland Elementary, Pleasant Valley, Mountain View Elementary and Ottobine Elementary. Middle and high school students would attend school from 9:00 am until 3:00 pm while elementary school students would attend school from 8:00 am until 2:00 pm. Superintendent Dr. Oskar Scheikl acknowledges that it is difficult to project how many families will need after-school care that didn’t before which is why the changes would be tested on certain schools at first.

​The School Board will approve or reject the proposal to close Linville-Edom Elementary School by the end of this current school year as well. If approved, the school would close after the next school year. 

Sources:
http://www.rockingham.k12.va.us

https://www.whsv.com/content/news/Rockingham-County-School-Board-approves-redistricting-plan-567334691.html

https://www.dnronline.com/news/rockingham_county/school-board-approves-redistricting/article_1b8a19a6-7807-5656-8add-0776afe5901f.html

https://www.whsv.com/content/news/School-time-change-could-affect-Turner-Ashby-and-surrounding-schools-567405801.html

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