Purpose of This Petition

We, the undersigned residents of Morrison Plantation in Mooresville, North Carolina, respectfully request that Iredell-Statesville Schools include middle school rezoning as part of its current redistricting process associated with new school construction projected for the 2027 academic year.

Specifically, we request that Morrison Plantation—currently assigned to Lakeshore Middle School—be rezoned to Woodland Heights Middle School.

This request is time-sensitive. If middle school rezoning is not considered as part of the current redistricting cycle, Morrison Plantation families may face years of avoidable overcrowding, inefficient transportation patterns, and repeated student disruption. Addressing this now ensures a proactive, rather than reactive, solution.

Background

As the district plans for future growth and the opening of new schools, boundary adjustments are being considered at the elementary and high school levels. However, middle school assignments are not currently included in this process, despite clear and increasing impacts on families, students, and school capacity.

Morrison Plantation presents a unique and compelling case for reconsideration.

Key Concerns

1. Overcrowding and Growth Imbalance

The area zoned for Lakeshore Middle School is experiencing significant residential growth, with ongoing and planned developments continuing to increase student population.

• Class sizes in feeder elementary grades are already reported in the 30+ student range
• Additional nearby developments will further increase enrollment pressure
• In contrast, Woodland Heights Middle School is not experiencing comparable growth intensity
  We request that the district publicly share current and projected enrollment and capacity data for both schools as part of this review, to ensure transparent and data-driven decision-making.

Request: Rebalancing enrollment now can help prevent future overcrowding and resource strain.

2. Transportation Efficiency and Safety

Current and planned infrastructure changes will negatively impact commute times for Morrison Plantation families assigned to Lakeshore Middle School.

• A new neighborhood development at Plantation Parkway and 150 intersection will increase congestion
• Proposed traffic changes along Highway 150, including restricted turn patterns, will require longer and less efficient routes
• Families may be required to travel past their intended direction, utilize Williamson Road, and make U-turns to reach Lakeshore adding additional miles onto the route daily

With the implementation of these changes, travel to Woodland Heights Middle School becomes the more direct and time-efficient route despite current zoning.

Additionally, transportation infrastructure already partially supports reassignment. A school bus currently services Morrison Plantation for students participating in the Dual Immersion program at Woodland Heights. Expanding service would likely require minimal adjustment, potentially as little as one additional bus.

These impacts translate into increased daily time burdens for families, reduced time for homework and extracurricular activities, and added strain on district transportation resources.

Request: Assigning Morrison Plantation to the geographically closer and more accessible school improves transportation efficiency and reduces daily burden on families.

3. Proximity to Elementary Feeder School

Morrison Plantation students attend Lake Norman Elementary School, which is:

• Approximately 2.5 miles from Woodland Heights Middle School
• Approximately 5 miles from Lakeshore Middle School

This creates logistical challenges for families with multiple children across grade levels, particularly with staggered schedules and transportation coordination.

4. Disruption of Established Peer Cohorts

Morrison Plantation is the only neighborhood zoned to Lake Norman Elementary but not to Woodland Heights Middle School.

• The majority of students from Lake Norman Elementary transition to Woodland Heights
• Students in the Dual Immersion program—representing a substantial portion of the school—automatically matriculate to Woodland Heights

Morrison Plantation students are not simply being reassigned to a different school—they are being separated from the majority of their established academic and social cohort. The students in the neighborhood enrolled in the Dual Immersion program at Lake Norman Elementary will be continuing the program at Woodland Heights Middle. Therefore, this only affects about 20-25 students per grade that are in the neighborhood but enrolled in traditional school at LNE. Many of those kids will choose to go to the Brawley School so this number will be even less.

Educational research consistently shows that peer continuity and stable school transitions support stronger academic outcomes, improved social-emotional development, and reduced transition anxiety, particularly during middle school years.

5. Repeated Disruption Across School Transitions

The misalignment continues beyond middle school.

Most students assigned to Lakeshore Middle School will matriculate to the new high school, Weathers Creek High School, while Morrison Plantation students are zoned for Lake Norman High School.

This creates a pattern where students separate from peers after elementary school then separate again after middle school.

This results in an avoidable pattern of instability during two of the most critical educational transitions in a child’s development, negatively impacting academic continuity, extracurricular participation, and overall student well-being.

6. Program Access and Opportunities

Woodland Heights Middle School is widely recognized within the community for:

• Strong academic performance
• Robust arts and athletics programs
• Established alignment with feeder elementary programs

Rezoning would provide students with greater continuity in both academic and extracurricular pathways.

7. Practical Rezoning Alternatives

In addition to the proposed reassignment of Morrison Plantation, there are logical boundary adjustments that could further improve efficiency and alignment across the district:

• The area between 77 (west boundary) and Talbert Rd (east boundary) located north of Highway 150 and approximately one mile closer to Lakeshore Middle School than WHM, is currently zoned for Woodland Heights Middle School. Reassigning this neighborhood to Lakeshore while shifting Morrison Plantation to Woodland Heights would create a more geographically logical and efficient distribution for both communities.
• The Coddle Creek (tax) area may also be better aligned with Lakeshore, particularly in light of future high school assignments to Weathers Creek High School. This adjustment would allow students to remain with their peer cohorts through middle and high school, reducing disruption and improving continuity.
• Since many students in Morrison Plantation already attend Woodland Heights Middle School through the Dual Immersion program, or will attend Brawley School, this reassignment can be implemented without requiring adjustments to surrounding zones. The projected increase to Woodland Heights Middle School is minimal, estimated at approximately 20 students per grade.

These alternatives demonstrate that viable, mutually beneficial solutions exist and should be evaluated as part of a comprehensive redistricting review.

Proposed Solution

We respectfully request that:

• Middle school rezoning be formally included in the current district redistricting review process
• Morrison Plantation be reassigned from Lakeshore Middle School to Woodland Heights Middle School
• The district prioritize:
  Enrollment balance
  Geographic proximity
  Feeder pattern alignment
  Student peer continuity

Conclusion

This request represents a practical, data-supported, and community-aligned adjustment that would:

• Reduce overcrowding pressures
• Improve transportation efficiency
• Preserve student peer relationships
• Support long-term academic and social success

We respectfully request that the Board of Education and district leadership formally include middle school rezoning in the current redistricting process and provide a clear response to this proposal.

We welcome the opportunity to engage in further discussion and ask that this request be addressed in a public forum to ensure transparency and community involvement.

This adjustment represents a low-disruption, high-impact solution that aligns with the district’s stated goals of efficiency, equity, and student success.

Signatures
By signing below, we support the inclusion of middle school rezoning in the current redistricting process and the reassignment of Morrison Plantation to Woodland Heights Middle School.