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South Davidson / Open Enrollment

PrepFanNC

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Oct 10, 2017
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So, the Davidson County BOE recently approved making South Davidson a school in which anyone in the county can attend if they so choose. This is an effort to bolster the ever-shrinking student population there.

Personally, I think if they get more than ten kids to make the move to South, I’ll be surprised.

BUT... it begs the question... Can someone create something special down there now that they could, in theory, pull talent from other schools?

By “special”, I’m thinking about having .500 seasons fairly consistently..
 
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So, the Davidson County BOE recently approved making South Davidson a school in which anyone in the county can attend if they so choose. This is an effort to bolster the ever-shrinking student population there.

Personally, I think if they get more than ten kids to make the move to South, I’ll be surprised.

BUT... it begs the question... Can someone create something special down there now that they could, in theory, pull talent from other schools?

By “special”, I’m thinking about having .500 seasons fairly consistently..
How is that decision impacted by state transfer rules for athletics?
 
How is that decision impacted by state transfer rules for athletics?

NCHSAA now allows counties to make their own decisions about in-county transfers. In Cherokee County we make transfers sit 365 unless both principals sign off or the parents appeal to the school board and the board overturns the ruling. NCHSAA will have no problem with what Davidson County is doing.
 
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Doesn't both principles almost always sign off? So, basically no 365 sit out.
 
NCHSAA now allows counties to make their own decisions about in-county transfers. In Cherokee County we make transfers sit 365 unless both principals sign off or the parents appeal to the school board and the board overturns the ruling. NCHSAA will have no problem with what Davidson County is doing.

That has always been the rule. The LEA makes all decisions on residency and transfer eligibility. FOrsyth County over the years with their special enrollment options is a perfect example. Students playing at a school other than their home district school is not something new.
 
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I'm really shocked they just don't shut it down and send those kids to East and Central. Probably would save a ton of money. However knowing the history of Denton, I'd say there would be heavy opposition to that.
 
This football program could turn the corner with just 3 or 4 football players. They took South Stanly to OT last year. 5 wins is doable when you have a weak conference and a carefully contracted non conference schedule. If I were a backup at a school in the county, I would consider going there and being a play maker in 1A football. Great facilities...btw.
 
If I were a backup at a school in the county, I would consider going there and being a play maker in 1A football. Great facilities...btw.
A backup at a 2A school is going to be a playmaker in 1A football? Maybe a backup at the top level 2A schools or a school loaded with athletes but certainly not at the East, West, Central Davidson's of the world. A Thomasville or Lexington backup being a playmaker in 1A is certainly possible but I seriously doubt you're ever going to convince a kid from one of those schools to go to South Davidson, doesn't jive culturally.
 
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I looked it up and was surprised to see that Denton's population has actually grown a little over the last 30 years. I am not sure what accounts for that growth - maybe more development around High Rock Lake? I assumed like so many other small towns around the state it would have gotten smaller, especially since the Burlington plant closed many years ago. I will be curious to see if there is any material impact from this policy.
 
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I don’t know the language of the law concerning transfer rules. But I do think a county’s policy defines the eligibility if a student moves schools. Like the recent issue at South Central High in Pitt County. There, they must attend where the are domiciled.

So if South Davidson has an open enrollment, then I think they are exempt. Like Winston Salem Prep.

They will not provide transportation outside of district. That’s normal.

I think the district was looking at adding some special programs that might stop the attrition of students headed to the semi-local charter schools, but I don’t know if they did or not.

As for students that may attend, it would undoubtably only be kids from DCS. Lexington and thomasville won’t sign paperwork to allow their students (and the money associated with them) to leave their district. This is the norm. Davidson no longer allows it either. Most systems won’t sign off on it unless there is a specific acceptable reason (like a parent works in the other system).

I think the only option that is viable is to turn South into something alternative, and thus with specialized enrollment and move the general population to East and Central. Good luck with that though, Denton and Silver Valley would riot.
 
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Hmm that could work if they happen to get momentum with the current guy and if they are allowed to go after kids then who knows. I agree as they are so small just a handful of kids could help them get to .500.

If the new guy leaves they can market the job with the open enrollment factor they can attract someone maybe savage enough to stand up to the big boys and go for the kids.. now that would be fun. Imagine Lexington and SD fighting for a fast kid at RB or WR? That would be something else. But then again it's South Davidson we are talking about.. it takes rare and I mean rare acts of kharma to get them going lol.
 
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Hmm that could work if they happen to get momentum with the current guy and if they are allowed to go after kids then who knows. I agree as they are so small just a handful of kids could help them get to .500.

If the new guy leaves they can market the job with the open enrollment factor they can attract someone maybe savage enough to stand up to the big boys and go for the kids.. now that would be fun. Imagine Lexington and SD fighting for a fast kid at RB or WR? That would be something else. But then again it's South Davidson we are talking about.. it takes rare and I mean rare acts of kharma to get them going lol.
Lexington (and Thomasville) isn’t in the county district so it would be a transfer from out of district and a waiting period would apply. If the county is intent on students not leaving their district, it goes both ways.
Personally I support kids from any of the three districts going to one of the others for a legitimate academic reason. In my mind, athletics doesn’t qualify.
I’ll say it again. Merger with redistricting is the only fair and sustainable solution. There are enough high schools in Davidson County but student distribution is off.
 
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Pro's- HC is a life long community member that knows everyone down there. Nice facilities and a very active boosters club. Solid base of parental support for most sports. Big country kids with a few that can run pretty good.

Con's- Tradition of losing and low numbers.. Lake life, working, fishing and hunting are barriers to getting more kids out for football. Less than 400 kids in the school and many empty classrooms as teachers retire or leave for other opportunity. No on campus assistants willing to put in a bunch of work in the off season.

Maybe open enrollment will help out, but with limited opportunities for classes and no better options that the other schools offer academically and sports wise, then why send your kid down there?

OC you are right, all three districts need to put kids where they belong, especially THS getting kids that are in the city limits going to Ledford and East.
 
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Pro's- HC is a life long community member that knows everyone down there. Nice facilities and a very active boosters club. Solid base of parental support for most sports. Big country kids with a few that can run pretty good.

Con's- Tradition of losing and low numbers.. Lake life, working, fishing and hunting are barriers to getting more kids out for football. Less than 400 kids in the school and many empty classrooms as teachers retire or leave for other opportunity. No on campus assistants willing to put in a bunch of work in the off season.

Maybe open enrollment will help out, but with limited opportunities for classes and no better options that the other schools offer academically and sports wise, then why send your kid down there?

OC you are right, all three districts need to put kids where they belong, especially THS getting kids that are in the city limits going to Ledford and East.

There was some discussion of making South Davidson an advanced manufacturing academy. If done properly, that could be a huge attraction for the school and the system. People don’t seem to understand how impactful it can be to have forward thinking academic training that prepares students for the jobs that will be available in the next couple of decades. Add in apprenticeships and we can partially overcome the lack of funding our county provides for education. Want a job at Mohawk or Egger? You won’t likely get it with 1990’s curriculum.
Ultimately, I think the solution is advanced manufacturing curriculum for all three systems in one central location at the DCCC campus. But that will only happen if all three address the needs of the kids and stop the turf wars. Let those students take part in extracurricular activities (including sports) at their home school. Provide transportation. Prepare a job ready workforce. Or lose business to other counties and keep sending our kids out into the streets with no skills and little future.
But boy, we love that low tax rate!
 
There was some discussion of making South Davidson an advanced manufacturing academy. If done properly, that could be a huge attraction for the school and the system. People don’t seem to understand how impactful it can be to have forward thinking academic training that prepares students for the jobs that will be available in the next couple of decades. Add in apprenticeships and we can partially overcome the lack of funding our county provides for education. Want a job at Mohawk or Egger? You won’t likely get it with 1990’s curriculum.
Ultimately, I think the solution is advanced manufacturing curriculum for all three systems in one central location at the DCCC campus. But that will only happen if all three address the needs of the kids and stop the turf wars. Let those students take part in extracurricular activities (including sports) at their home school. Provide transportation. Prepare a job ready workforce. Or lose business to other counties and keep sending our kids out into the streets with no skills and little future.
But boy, we love that low tax rate!

Well stated and very true. I think THS is getting a new facility for advanced manufacturing in the coming years and that should attract kids to attend that want to pursue that option. SD had been rumored to become a magnet school for Davidson County, but transportation would be an issue. Could become the sight for Valley Academy and Davidson County High School (Alternative School).
 
So, I could live with the idea of the city limits becoming the school boundaries for the most part. But not the part where Thomasville annexed the property around several DCS schools. Perhaps the city limits prior to that annexation?

I mean, who would agree that the neighborhood right next to E. Lawson Brown Middle School should send its kids to Thomasville Middle School?

I don’t want to muddy up anything. I really am just in favor of kids getting a fair shake. TCS could get a nice population boost and it would be very beneficial to Ledford especially. They’ll be overcrowded again pretty soon.
 
Well stated and very true. I think THS is getting a new facility for advanced manufacturing in the coming years and that should attract kids to attend that want to pursue that option. SD had been rumored to become a magnet school for Davidson County, but transportation would be an issue. Could become the sight for Valley Academy and Davidson County High School (Alternative School).

That’s an interesting idea. Not a bad idea at all. The only hurdle might be cost. Right now, every VA/DCHS student is bussed to their home high school and then again to the VA/DCHS campus. I wonder what the cost increase would be for having to drive those buses to Denton each day instead of the central location where those schools exist now.
 
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So, I could live with the idea of the city limits becoming the school boundaries for the most part. But not the part where Thomasville annexed the property around several DCS schools. Perhaps the city limits prior to that annexation?

I mean, who would agree that the neighborhood right next to E. Lawson Brown Middle School should send its kids to Thomasville Middle School?

I don’t want to muddy up anything. I really am just in favor of kids getting a fair shake. TCS could get a nice population boost and it would be very beneficial to Ledford especially. They’ll be overcrowded again pretty soon.
I don’t necessarily disagree. But what about Leach Avenue, part of which literally adjoins Thomasville Primary School and is in the county district? Or Albertson Road, which has been in the city limits for decades and is districted to Ledford? Or the same for the area off Old Thomasville- High Point Road (1980’s) and is East Davidson district?
That’s why I contend that the answer is merger and redistrict. If done fairly, East Davidson and Ledford would likely lose 100-200 each and Thomasville High would gain 200-400. Thomasville was at 1000 students in the 70’s. But that wouldn’t mean that everyone in the city limits would attend Thomasville City Schools. Only making the city limits and school district lines coterminous would do that.
 
Merge and redistrict, but no politician will go there due to the fear of getting voted out or ruffling feathers with the county folks. Hopefully someone will run for state senate that will take the cause and run with it. SD is dying a slow death down there.
 
Merge and redistrict, but no politician will go there due to the fear of getting voted out or ruffling feathers with the county folks. Hopefully someone will run for state senate that will take the cause and run with it. SD is dying a slow death down there.

There probably isn't enough of a voting population there to make a difference. That crowd might be loud, but it isn't big.
 
Merge and redistrict, but no politician will go there due to the fear of getting voted out or ruffling feathers with the county folks. Hopefully someone will run for state senate that will take the cause and run with it. SD is dying a slow death down there.
Typically, the school boards, the county commissioners, or city councils would lobby the legislators for a local bill. Local bills are almost always approved on the premise that, if the local folks are for it, it should be enacted.
The county commissioners or Davidson County Board of Education are very unlikely to do the lobbying. The councils of Thomasville or Lexington might, but probably a waste of time.
The most likely route (though still doubtful) would be the Thomasville or Lexington school boards turning in their charter. That would force merger, but not necessarily redistricting.
The adults are making the decisions based on what’s best for themselves. They probably think it’s also what’s best for the students. I would disagree.
 
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Typically, the school boards, the county commissioners, or city councils would lobby the legislators for a local bill. Local bills are almost always approved on the premise that, if the local folks are for it, it should be enacted.
The county commissioners or Davidson County Board of Education are very unlikely to do the lobbying. The councils of Thomasville or Lexington might, but probably a waste of time.
The most likely route (though still doubtful) would be the Thomasville or Lexington school boards turning in their charter. That would force merger, but not necessarily redistricting.
The adults are making the decisions based on what’s best for themselves. They probably think it’s also what’s best for the students. I would disagree.

Wise post.

One would think that it would be easy to sit in a position of power, such as a member of a school board or commissioner, and only focus on the right things for the kids in the district. It doesn’t seem that is the case. Hard decisions require some guts, not always choosing the side that keeps getting one elected.
 
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Wise post.

One would think that it would be easy to sit in a position of power, such as a member of a school board or commissioner, and only focus on the right things for the kids in the district. It doesn’t seem that is the case. Hard decisions require some guts, not always choosing the side that keeps getting one elected.
Elected office is not easy. And we’ve seen some pay the price for doing what they knew was right. The controversy over the MLK holiday was a litmus test for some in Davidson County for many years. Now it’s the issue of guns.
For years, I’ve contended that seeking elected office has been about the “one trick pony”. If you are for/against the issue I care most about, I’ll vote for or against you. No matter what you believe on the other 99% of issues that come up.
I realize that there will never be an elected official....local or otherwise, that I’ll agree with 100% of the time. The recent primary is a great example. I voted for those who will listen and conduct themselves with integrity, though I know we’ll often disagree. Fortunately, most of them won. But even those won’t touch the merger issue. Doesn’t mean they don’t know it’s the right thing to do.
 
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