A little more than a week before the Howard County Board of Education is slated to vote on a redistricting proposal that would end two open enrollment exceptions in the county, parents and students in the area appear split over the issue.

With about 70 people in attendance at its Nov. 10 hearing, the school board listened as parents and students from the Greenbridge and Woodmark Triangle areas made their cases.

Earlier this fall, a committee tasked with reviewing redistricting proposals recommended the closure of the so-called "Greenbridge" and "Woodmark Triangle" exceptions beginning in the 2010-11 school year.

Under the proposal, students in the Greenbridge area, who currently may choose to attend either River Hill or Glenelg high schools, would be assigned to Glenelg. The change would affect 179 students in the coming year.

Also, students in the Woodmark area, who currently may attend either Marriotts Ridge or River Hill high schools, would be assigned to River Hill. The change would affect 39 students.

Parent John Sink argued that the Greenbridge exception should be kept open, saying that enrollment projections are unreliable.

"They're saying that this maximizes utilization so that when Reservoir High fills up, River Hill can handle the capacity," he said. "But it's just as likely that Glenelg could fill up, and then what?"

Parent Martha Geist, however, urged the board to close the Greenbridge exception.

"There's an elephant in the room and it's been growing for 11 years and it's the Greenbridge exception," she said. "We were sent to River Hill High until capital improvements at Glenelg were complete. Well, they're complete, so send us back."

While many of those in attendance spoke out on the Greenbridge exception, a few also advocated the closure of the Woodmark Triangle exception.

Nancy McAllister, who lives in the area, said she believes open enrollment is "inequitable."

"Our neighborhood has no idea to which school it belongs," she said. "That doesn't help build community. Closing the exception is the right thing to do."

There was one element of both proposals with which several speakers took issue. Currently, the proposal would allow any affected sophomores, juniors or seniors to stay at their current school. However, it would not allow any younger siblings to attend the same school.

Several parents objected to the lack of a "trailing siblings" clause, citing transportation issues as well as potential family rifts it could create.

"We've been told that 'trailing siblings' would set a bad precedent," said Kevin Doyle, a parent in the Woodmark area. "But tell me how keeping families together is not a good idea. There should be no factor more important than keeping families together."

Angela Arnsmeyer, a seventh-grader at Folly Quarter Middle School, said she hoped the school board would allow her to attend River Hill High, where her older sister currently attends.

"It's important to me to be at the same school as my sister," she said. "Plus, what happens if we both miss the bus. With one of our parents working, there would only be one parent to take two students to two different schools."

The school board will review the public testimony during a redistricting work session Thursday, Nov. 12 at 7 p.m.

Joel Gallihue, the school system's manager of school planning, said the board could alter the proposals at that time or could stay with the recommended proposals.

The board will hold a final vote on the issue at its Nov. 19 meeting.

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