Redistricting committee members wanted

Charles County Public Schools is looking for a few good people to serve on its high school redistricting committee.

The school system will select 10 parents, two each from the elementary and middle school levels, and six from the high schools, to serve on the committee. Additionally, three community members will be selected for the committee, which also includes principals, county government planners and Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) staff. The school system is starting a comprehensive high school redistricting process that will create an attendance zone for the new St. Charles High School and redistribute and balance student populations at all high schools. The redistricting, which will be approved by the summer of 2013, takes effect in August 2014.

Commitment Applicants must agree to fulfill a four- to five-month commitment of attendance at a weekly meeting. The meeting day will be either Tuesday or Wednesday, and is determined after the first meeting and by consensus with the group. The time of all meetings is 6:30-8:30 p.m.

How to apply Elementary, middle and high school principals are now accepting names from parents with interest in serving on the committee. Please call your child's school for the deadline to apply. Community members must not have a child enrolled in any Charles County public school and must fill out an online application at http://www2.ccboe.com/parentscomm/transportation/hsredistricting.cfm, or call 301-934-7221 to receive an application by mail.

The process Each elementary and middle school will submit to the Superintendent the name of one parent to be selected at random from all expressing interest. The name of a parent from each elementary school will be placed in a container and two names will be selected at random from the 21 submissions. Principals from each of the eight middle schools will follow the same process. The name of a parent from each middle school will be submitted to the Superintendent, placed in a container and two names will be selected at random from the eight submissions.

Each high school will accept names of any interested parent and select one name, at random, to serve on the redistricting committee. Each high school will send the name of one representative, and no further drawing will be held at the high school level.

Contact your child's principal to find out the deadline for applying and when the random selection will be made at the school.

Three community members will be selected from applicants. Community members should not have a child enrolled in any Charles County public school and must fill out an application. The application can be completed and submitted online. Applications will also be mailed on request. Only applications received by Oct. 5 will be considered. If more than three names are submitted, the community members will be selected in a public drawing at the Oct. 9 Board meeting.

Selection of committee members Superintendent James E. Richmond and the Board of Education will publicly draw the names of the elementary and middle school parents and the community representatives at the Board's Oct. 9 meeting.

Questions about the process can be sent to redistrict@ccboe.com or call 301-934-7221.