CLAY COUNTY – The school board is one step closer to finalizing its redistricting plans for Oakleaf High, Tynes Elementary and Lake Asbury Junior High areas.

The school board met for a workshop on Jan. 26 that was followed by a special redistricting-focused meeting afterward and during the special meeting, it approved advertisement for all three redistricting plans it has for the district. This brings the district's plans one step closer to a full approval because it has been officially advertised, the board can vote on the plans in March.

“It’s not going to be fun,” board chair Mary Bolla said. “Aside from Discovery Oaks Elementary, and that’s the first school we’ve built in 10 years, for years we haven’t really had to re-district and we’ve been sort of comfortable and able to say everyone’s been happy, but now we have to make some tough decisions.”

Those tough decisions have been extensively discussed in the past few weeks and it even resulted in a town hall that happened last where district leaders spoke directly to the parents and staff of Oakleaf High to answer questions and quell concerns.

The Pine Ridge, Fox Meadow, Whisper Creek and Two Creeks neighborhoods, south of Tynes Boulevard for Two Creeks, will be re-districted to Ridgeview High. Some of these are existing neighborhoods and some are neighborhoods in development and the result is that about 360 students will move from Oakleaf attendance to Ridgeview High. That will drop the capacity of Oakleaf High from a projected 115% if changes aren’t approved to 92%, while Ridgeview High’s population increase from 67% to 85%.

This will impact approximately 300 students beginning the 2021-22 school year, according to the district, and transportation already provided to Oakleaf will also be provided to Ridgeview. Incoming seniors will have the option to remain at Oakleaf or move to Ridgeview.

Tynes Elementary re-districting will affect the Summer Brook, Branan Mill Plantation and Whisper Creek neighborhoods. Those students will change to Coppergate Elementary. This will involve about 150 students and it will keep Tynes at 82% population instead of a projected 120%, while Coopergate will grow from 74% to 92%.

The third re-districting is targeted in the Lake Asbury area and will involve the students from the Wedgefield, Orange Park South, Breckenridge, Madison Commons and Greenwood Estates neighborhoods being moved to Lakeside Junior High. This will affect roughly 190 students, which would keep Lake Asbury to 64% instead of a projected 113%. The change also will address future growth in the Lake Asbury area. Lakeside’s capacity will grow from 64% to 80%.

All of the plans will be advertised in public places following the approval during the Jan. 26 special meeting and the board will formally discuss it during its regular meeting on Thursday, March 4.