Plan would close Mimosa Elementary, merge middle schools

ROSWELL, Ga. — Officials from Fulton County Schools have proposed closing Mimosa Elementary School and consolidating students attending Haynes Bridge and Holcomb Bridge middle schools. The changes are part of a redistricting plan proposed for Geographic Region C — schools north of the Chattahoochee River — to address school capacity and utilization at the elementary and middle school levels. Officials have also proposed redistricting in Geographic Region A, which includes schools south of the city of Atlanta. Primary criteria for developing redistricting proposals include the school’s instructional capacity, projected enrollment and geographic proximity. Secondary criteria include traffic patterns, previous rezoning history, access to special programs and school feeder alignment. Officials do not weigh students’ race, ethnicity or socioeconomic status, or the type of housing they live in, when redrawing attendance lines, said Lauren Malekebu, executive director of operational planning for Fulton County Schools. She said only schools that were projected to be underutilized were considered . The district is already facing declining enrollment numbers, and the trend is projected to continue into the 2030-31 school year. The four elementary schools under review — Esther Jackson, Hembree Springs, Mimosa and Vickery Mill, all in Roswell — serve 1,813 students. That number is expected to drop to 1,754 in 2030-31. The three middle schools under review — Haynes Bridge and Holcomb Bridge in Alpharetta and Autrey Mill in Johns Creek — serve 2,320 students. That number is expected to drop to 1,904 in 2030-31. Elkins Pointe Middle School in Roswell was also included in the redistricting review, but materials presented by district officials this month identified no changes to the school. It serves 821 students and is projected to have 764 students in 2030-31. Elementary school changes According to Malekebu’s Nov. 9 presentation at Roswell High School, any approved elementary school redistricting is expected to be implemented in August 2028. Under the district’s plan, Mimosa Elementary School would be closed and its students would be transferred to either Esther Jackson or Vickery Mill elementary schools. Some students at Vickery Mill would be moved to either Hembree Springs or Esther Jackson elementary schools to accommodate the change. Esther Jackson serves 479 students, 52% of its capacity. Hembree Springs serves 532 students, 63% of its capacity. Mimosa serves 493 students, 49% of its capacity. Vickery Mill serves 309 students, 36% of its capacity. If the plan is approved, Mimosa students living in areas south of Big Creek and west of Georgia 400 would be moved to Esther Jackson, and remaining students would be moved to Vickery Mill. Most of the students moving from Vickery Mill to Hembree Springs live north of East Crossville Road and west of Houze Road. This area includes Grand Veridian, Windsor Forest, the second phase of Greenway Country Club Estates, Brookdale and Hidden Pond. About 50 Vickery Mill students, in The Crossings at Holcomb Bridge and Wood Creek neighborhoods, would move to Esther Jackson. The proposed changes would increase enrollment at Esther Jackson, Vickery Mill and Hembree Springs to between 67% and 70% of each school’s capacity in the 2028-29 school year. Middle school changes A consolidated campus would accommodate students from both Haynes Bridge and Holcomb Bridge middle schools, Malekebu said during a Nov. 11 presentation at Centennial High School. District officials envision the consolidated school at a preferred site near Holcomb Bridge Middle School. Haynes Bridge and Holcomb Bridge are currently under 60% of their student capacity, each enrolling fewer than 600 pupils. If the plan is approved, the consolidated middle school would have capacity for 1,200 students. Officials have not said what will happen to the current Holcomb Bridge building. Malekebu said conversations have started, but plans are not ready for public release. Under the plan, construction would begin in 2028, with current Holcomb Bridge students moving to Haynes Bridge during that process. That move would increase Haynes Bridge’s enrollment to 897 students, 89% of its capacity. District officials project the consolidated middle school would enroll 825 students in the 2030-31 school year, 69% of its capacity. Officials have prepared adjusted feeder patterns as part of the plan, but Malekebu said the outcome of the elementary school redistricting could impact those patterns. The adjusted feeder patterns assume “nothing in elementary” changes, she said. Students at Northwood, Hillside, River Eves, Esther Jackson, Vickery Mill and Mimosa elementary schools would attend the consolidated middle school. Barnwell Elementary School, which feeds its students into Haynes Bridge and Autrey Mill middle schools, would send all of its students to Autrey Mill. Autrey Mill has 1,220 students, 84% of its capacity. With redistricting, officials project it will have 1,222 students in 2028-29 and 1,079 students in 2030-31. Next steps District officials will use feedback from the community forums and an online survey to revise the proposed maps, then present a third version for elementary and middle schools in December. Final recommendations, including any school closures, will go to the school board in January. Malekebu said the closure proposals could still change before then. Under the current proposal, Mimosa Elementary School and Holcomb Bridge Middle School would close in August 2028. The consolidated middle school would open by August 2030, when Haynes Bridge Middle School would close. The next forums are Dec. 14 and 15. Elementary school changes will be discussed Dec. 14 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Roswell High School gym, 11595 King Road. Middle school changes will be discussed Dec. 15 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Centennial High School gym, 9310 Scott Road. Appreciate the work? Help us keep this reporting available to all by joining the Appen Press Club. Your support makes all the difference. Chip in!