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Not in My Backyard!
Building community support for new schools
By Susan Hale, Fulton County School System Communication Project Manager

Community schools are advocated in theory. In reality, school systems face many obstacles when neighborhoods realize that a new school is going up in their back yards. Lighting, traffic patterns, privacy fences, and more become major issues that can divide a community and cause conflict.

By August 2004, the Fulton County School System will have opened 31 new schools in only eight years. While the thought of new schools is generally welcomed, in some cases the community initially has not been thrilled to have a school as a new neighbor. School construction is rarely a quiet, clean process, and there seem to be more unknowns than certainties when it comes to its effect on property values, quality of life, and attendance zones. Parents also fear the adjustment their children must make when transitioning to a new school.

Meetings address community concerns
To address many of these concerns, the Fulton County School System instituted a process that allows for community engagement and exchange of information. As soon as the location of a new school is determined, system staff begins preparing for community meetings – usually three to 10 meetings – to introduce the construction timeline, design plans, and to begin working with the public about their specific issues.

The meetings allow an opportunity to directly ask questions, receive information, and provide feedback. Through these meetings the school system can gauge the efficacy of its construction process and address potential problems, such as traffic, lighting, redistricting, and bus transportation. With timely and complete information, community tension can be diffused before ground is even broken on the new school site.

Community, school system brought together.
Although the community at large is invited to the meetings, several specific groups are targeted. Parents of children attending the new school, those with children in neighboring schools affected by redistricting, and adjacent property owners and homeowner associations are key groups to reach and with whom to communicate. They are the groups who have the most at stake or who will have a long-term relationship with the school.

The meeting presenters involve a wide cross-section of school system personnel, construction contractors, architects, and civil/traffic/landscaping engineers, while school principals, area superintendents, Board of Education members, and other elected officials attend to answer questions as they arise. Members of the district’s internal Construction department and Communications department play a vital role in coordinating and publicizing meetings. Citizens are notified of the meetings through media, letters to homeowner associations, and fliers sent to schools that will rezone or feed into the new building.

In addition, the Fulton County School System is fortunate to have a strong, supportive relationship with its county government and commissioners. A liaison from the Fulton County Government attends the meetings and meets regularly with school system staff about county growth and construction issues. This relationship allows for better communication between the two agencies and a faster and more efficient construction process.

Success stories
A successful community meeting will raise issues that are important to citizens, resulting in the school system and local government officials working together to address concerns. As an outcome of some community meetings, safety has been improved – traffic lights were added or adjusted and the county government agreed to install sidewalks without an additional cost to the school system. Transportation routes also have been adjusted, making bus travel more timely and efficient, and landscaping agreements have been reached to blend in with local neighborhoods.

Other success stories involve the construction of an underground retention drainage system at a new elementary school located near a polluted stream. Water studies show that after the drainage system was introduced, the stream water now runs clearer and cleaner. Sedimentation and erosion control also was addressed, garnering state and national recognition for the Fulton County School System.

In another case, land challenges forced the construction of a middle school on an awkward and constrained site. A prototype for a new two-story design resulted and the school system reduced the size of a proposed running track in order to provide a larger buffer between the school property and the adjacent neighborhood. Nearby residents, who once peppered the school system with angry questions and concerns, are now some of the school’s strongest supporters because of the opportunity to give feedback through community meetings.

As another example, the school system’s decision to rebuild an aging school in a new location originally drew ire from community members citing increased traffic and safety concerns associated with the new site. In addition, the previous school – the oldest in Fulton County – had a very traditional look not often found in current school construction prototypes. Community meetings addressed the traffic and safety concerns, while also resulting in a change to the school’s façade to be more in keeping with its history.

Community meetings – everyone wins
Community meetings show that the school system and local governments are willing to cooperate with neighborhoods. As a result, the community continues its strong support of the local schools.

The Fulton County School System has learned that while significant challenges can exist with new school construction, many of these obstacles can be resolved through honest, open communication and a willingness to compromise. By working together, both the school system and the community can head off controversy and create a win-win situation. Community meetings allow an opportunity for both sides to collaborate for the good of the neighborhood schools and children.