The Shelby County Board of Education approved a rezoning plan Thursday night that will shift students who are zoned for the Mt Laurel school attendance zone from Chelsea to Oak Mountain schools. Under the new plan, students in grades K-5 will continue to attend Mt Laurel Elementary but then will transition to Oak Mountain Middle and Oak Mountain High.

The rezoning plan will occur in two phases over the next two years and does include an exception for students currently enrolled at Chelsea Middle and Chelsea High School to continue there until they graduate. Students and their families choosing to continue in the Chelsea school attendance zone must commit to that option and will be required to provide their own transportation starting with the 2023-2024 school year. 

Phase one of the new rezoning plan will occur in the upcoming 2022-2023 school year. Students in grades K-5 will continue to attend Mt Laurel Elementary. Students entering grades 6-12 have the option to enroll in Oak Mountain Middle and Oak Mountain High School but parents must commit to providing transportation for the entire school year. Students continuing to attend Chelsea Middle and Chelsea High will have daily bus transportation for that school year. 

Phase two of the plan will occur during the 2023-2024 school year when students in grades 6-11 will transition to Oak Mountain schools and the district will begin to provide bus transportation. Students in grades 7-11opting to stay in Chelsea schools will have to provide their own transportation from that point forward. 

Dr. Lewis Brooks, Superintendent of Education for Shelby County Schools, said plans to rezone students from Mt Laurel will help to balance student enrollment between the Chelsea and Oak Mountain school attendance zones. If the City of Chelsea separates and forms its own school system, this transition schedule may be subject to change.

Parents of students from the Mt Laurel attendance zone entering grades 6-12 in August 2022  are asked to complete a Google form that was emailed to them stating which option they will be choosing in order for the district to finalize staffing for the upcoming 2022-2023 school year. Included in that email was also information regarding athletic eligibility, participating in various extracurricular activities, and course selection. That information will also be posted on the school websites.