PORT ARTHUR — As the opening dates for two new elementary schools draws closer, officials with Port Arthur ISD are looking at a plan to reorganize attendance zones.

The proposed plan is still in the early stages and officials expect to hear input from parents and citizens before making the final decision, Superintendent Johnny Brown said.

Beverly Thornton, executive director of technology, presented the information to trustees during Thursdays board meeting.

S/Sgt. Lucian Adams Elementary, 5701 Ninth Ave., has a projected enrollment of 559 students.

Washington School’s students attended classes at the site of the former Ninth Grade Campus until the elementary wing was destroyed by an arsonist in January. The roughly 280 students were divided between Wheatley, Wilson, Travis, DeQueen and Tyrrell Elementary schools.

Lee School, with a current enrollment of 1,014, will drop down to 560 students in the proposed plan.

Both Dowling and Washington schools will be able to handle an overflow of students, Brown said.

Transportation issues have been mapped out in the plan to accommodate the districts approximately 9,100 students. Since the current Washington school students are bused, those buses will be available for use for the Adams school, Thornton said.

The district has a bus fleet of 68 with 59 buses in use. Some of the buses serve two or more campuses while nine buses are reserved for scheduling.

The proposed elementary school boundaries include:

• Dowling Elementary School — The attendance zone extends from Rodair Gully to Taylor’s Bayou, east to the southern extension of the West Port Arthur Road, south to Texas 73, east to Savannah Avenue, north to FM 365, east to El Paso Avenue, north to 90th Street, west on an imaginary line to Viterbo Road crossing West Port Arthur Road to an imaginary line extending from Diamond Avenue, northwest to the levee.

• Washington Elementary School — The attendance zone extends from Texas 82 (West Levee Road) and the ship channel east to New Orleans Avenue, north to the Kansas City Southern Railroad, and west to Texas 82 (West Levee Road). It also includes the Pleasure Island residential area.

• DeQueen Elementary School — The attendance zone extends from New Orleans Avenue and the ship channel east to Ninth Avenue, north to Gulfway Drive, west to Marshall Avenue, north to the KCS Railroad ,and west to New Orleans Avenue.

• Lee Elementary School — The attendance zone extends from Ninth Avenue and the ship channel east to Stadium Road, north to 14th Street and west to Ninth Avenue.

• Travis Elementary School — The attendance zone extends from Stadium Road and the ship channel east to Main Avenue, north to Foster Drive, northwest along an imaginary line that extends from the intersection of Main Avenue and Foster Drive to Gulfway Drive between Perry and Owens avenues, and west to Jefferson Drive.

• Tyrrell Elementary School — The attendance zone extends from Ninth Avenue and 14th Street east to Stadium Road, north to Gulfway Drive, east to Perry Avenue, south along an imaginary line that extends to Foster Drive and Main Avenue, south on Main Avenue to the ship channel, east to Taft Avenue, north to a line extending from Lewis Drive, west to a line extending from Nottingham, north to a line extending from 13th Street, west to a line intersecting the east end of Warren and Garner, west to Main Avenue, north to 25th Street, west to Jefferson Drive (Texas 347), north to 32nd Street, west to 11th Avenue, south to 25th Street, and south along the KCS Railroad to Ninth Avenue.

• Houston Elementary School — The attendance zone extends from Gulfway Drive and Marshall Avenue, east to Ninth Avenue, north to the KCS Railroad, north to 11th Avenue, north to 32nd Street, west to Ninth Avenue, north to 39th Street, west to the Texaco reservoir, and south to Gulfway Drive.

• Adams Elementary School — The attendance zone extends from Savannah Avenue east on Texas 73, to an imaginary line parallel with the east end of the Texaco reservoir, south to 39th Street, east to Ninth Avenue, south to 32nd Street, east to Jefferson Drive (Texas 347), south to 25th Street, east to a point midway between Graves and Berry, north to an imaginary line that extends to 32nd Street, north on Graves to Terrell, east to an imaginary line behind and parallel to Graves, north to 39th Street, west to a block west of Lawndale (including 5301 W. Link), north to Monroe, west to Twin City Highway, north to Spur 136, northwest to the KCS railroad on an imaginary line that extends from the southwestern portion of Kylewood to a point west of Brazos (including Bent Tree Village Apartments 141-164 and 241-164), north on an imaginary line to a point east of Turtle Creek Drive (including all two bedroom units of Stonegate Manor), northwest on Cobblestone Lane (4120, 4110 and 4100), to Chimney Rock Lane, southwest to Chevy Chase Lane, northwest to Chandelle Lane, southwest to Greenbrair Lane, north to Blackberry Lane, west on Ninth Avenue, north to a point about 660 feet below FM 365, and continuing west on an imaginary line parallel to FM 365 to Texas 287, north to FM 365, west to Main C Canal, south to Texas 73, and west to Savannah Avenue.

In November 2007, voters approved a bond proposal for $44.7 million for a new Washington Elementary to replace the existing Washington and Franklin schools, a new school in the Stonegate area, land purchase and development.

mmeaux@panews.com