By Holly Fesperman Lee

Salisbury Post

Rowan-Salisbury may deny new transfers to Morgan Elementary school next year to help ease overcrowding.

Jim Christy, assistant superintendent for operations, brought the problem to the school board’s attention Monday, saying that Morgan will not receive any relief from the new Ethan H. Shive Elementary School.

Shive will relieve Rockwell and Granite Quarry Elementary schools only.

Morgan has a capacity of 378 students and has a projected enrollment of 429 students for next year.

After Shive opens its doors, Rockwell and Granite Quarry will have some extra capacity.

Christy gave board members three options, saying “you can either move students, deny transfers and choice, or we can proceed.”

Board members frowned on moving students and talked about the idea of denying new transfers.

Board member Kay Wright Norman said the transfer issue “brings to mind we’re supposed to get some kind of quarterly report on transfers and we haven’t seen anything.”

School transfers are approved or denied in the transportation department.

“We shouldn’t be transferring students into a school that’s already at capacity,” Norman said.

Board member Dr. Jim Emerson said he’d rather gamble on denying new transfers than moving students.

The board didn’t vote, but Christy told them he wanted direction on how to proceed.

He told members if they didn’t decide on something else, he was going to proceed with the current lines and start making school assignments for next year.

Contact Holly Lee at 704-797-7683 or hlee@salisburypost.com