The school system has new zone offices designed to help provide better service to schools and parents on issues such as discipline, transportation and human resources. Parents with questions or problems should still call their child's school first.
Central Zone
CMS's central zone has 40 schools, almost twice as many as other zones (a handful are temporarily assigned to the Achievement Zone based on low test scores). During decades of court-ordered desegregation, district leaders built schools close to the center city, with students from outlying areas bused in for racial balance.In the 1990s CMS added specialized magnet schools to entice white students into predominantly black neighborhoods. Some of those, such as Northwest School of the Arts and Piedmont Open Middle, continue to attract students from across the county.
When Superintendent Peter Gorman created regional offices earlier this year, he tapped high school principal Joel Ritchie to help him devise the plan. Ritchie now heads the central office.
West Zone
The west zone includes some of the center city's poorest schools and some of the suburbs' most overflowing classrooms. Two schools, for example, Mountain Island and Steele Creek elementaries, will have more than 30 mobile classrooms. Two other elementaries, Ashley Park and Reid Park, had at least 90 percent poverty rates last school year.
The west office will be led by Elva Cooper, who until this year had helped oversee the district's elementary schools.
Central Zone
SCHOOLS
ElementaryAllenbrook, Bruns Avenue, Byers, Chantilly, Cotswold, Dilworth, Druid Hills, Eastover, Elizabeth Traditional, First Ward, Irwin Avenue, Lincoln Heights, Myers Park, Oaklawn, Olde Providence, Park Road, Sedgefield, Selwyn, Sharon, Thomasboro, University Park, Villa Heights, Winding Springs.
Middle
Alexander Graham, Carmel, Piedmont, Randolph, Williams.
High
Myers Park, Northwest (6-12), Performance Learning Center.
Other
Special schools: Derita, Hawthorne, Metro, Morgan. Prekindergarten centers: Double Oaks and Tryon Hills.
OFFICE
Joel Ritchie, Area Superintendent.
324 N. McDowell St., Charlotte.
980-343-1465.
Hours: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays.
West Zone
SCHOOLS
ElementaryAshley Park, Barringer, Berryhill, Lake Wylie, Mountain Island, Oakdale, Paw Creek, Pawtuckett, Reid Park, Steele Creek, Tuckaseegee, Westerly Hills, Winget Park.
Middle
Coulwood, Kennedy, Southwest.
High
Berry, Harding, Olympic.
Others
Amay James Prekindergarten Center.
OFFICE
Elva Cooper, Area Superintendent.
1801 Cross Beam Drive, Charlotte.
980-343-1463.
Hours: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays.
For CMS test scores in this region, see page 80.
