Oakcrest Elementary could use nearly every classroom next school year if Marion County Public Schools moves forward with a proposal to rezone Wyomina Park Elementary students to the school.
About 50 people attended a community meeting Thursday at Oakcrest to hear about the proposal and ask questions about enrollment, staffing and student services. If approved, the changes would take effect in the 2027-28 school year.
The plan would move students in Wyomina Park’s attendance zone to Oakcrest while expanding Fordham Early Learning Academy to serve students through fifth grade. Some students currently attending Oakcrest would move to Fordham as part of the broader changes.
Ben Whitehouse, the district’s director of operations, described Oakcrest’s projected enrollment if the rezoning moves forward.
“My guess is we're probably going to be pretty close to full at this campus next year,” Whitehouse said.
Enrollment projections can fluctuate as families move in and out of the area, and the school has portable classrooms available if additional space is needed.
The district plans to allocate additional teachers once it determines how many students will attend Oakcrest. The goal is to maintain class sizes within state guidelines, Whitehouse said.
The proposed changes could also make bus transportation available to more students. Many students in Wyomina Park’s attendance zone live within two miles of their current school and do not qualify for district bus service. Under the proposed boundaries, they would live more than two miles from Oakcrest and qualify for transportation.
Whitehouse said the change could make getting to school easier for families, particularly in bad weather when children might otherwise have to walk long distances.
But some parents questioned whether the transition could affect students’ classroom experiences.
Bree Word, whose daughter attends Oakcrest, said she worries that larger classes could make it harder for students to receive the individual attention they need. She said she would prefer the district to keep the existing school zones unchanged.
Oakcrest Principal Sarah Dobbs said the school wants to build on its recent improvement to a B grade while welcoming students and families from Wyomina Park.
“It's just an opportunity for us to broaden the momentum that we've had,” Dobbs said. “Wyomina has worked really hard just as well, but we're excited to continue the momentum that we've had and just invite new eagles to be part of the team.”
Dobbs said parents have asked whether Oakcrest’s clubs, interventions and other activities would continue if the rezoning moves forward. She said the school plans to learn about incoming students’ interests while continuing the practices that have supported student attendance and academic progress.
“Academic expectations are still the same,” Dobbs said. “Nothing's changing. It's just the location that students are receiving their instruction.”
Some Oakcrest parents welcomed the possibility of bringing the two school communities together. Katrina Driggers, whose child has attended Oakcrest since kindergarten, said she hopes the school maintains its welcoming environment as enrollment changes.
“I think Wyomina will fit in really good here,” Driggers said. “All the staff is really friendly. The teachers are really friendly. They're very helpful.”
Driggers said she has seen the work that went into improving Oakcrest’s school grade over the past two years. She said the school’s sense of family and compassion should remain part of its culture.
Stephen Ayres, the district’s director of student assignment and records, said changing attendance zones can be difficult for communities with long-standing ties to a neighborhood school. He said the district must also consider how it uses school facilities and taxpayer dollars.
“We can't run half empty schools,” Ayres said.
Ayres said the Wyomina Park campus would remain open and retain its name but serve a different purpose.
Families can submit feedback on the proposed rezoning through the district’s online form before a public work session expected around Thanksgiving. The district aims to bring the rezoning plan to the Marion County School Board for a final vote before winter break, giving families time to prepare for the 2027-28 school year.
Dobbs said she wants incoming families to feel comfortable trusting Oakcrest with their children.
“I'm just excited to welcome families on campus and make sure that families feel comfortable trusting us with their students,” she said.