North Hills Superintendent: Heartland Homes Development of Highland CC Won't Significantly Impact District

If developers win approval to build 300 homes and townhouses on the 117 acres of the former Highland Country Club, North Hills Schools Superintendent Dr. Patrick J. Mannarino said the district would easily be able to handle the influx of new students.

"The demographic studies that they're showing, based on the price of the housing, the type of housing and style, doesn't create a significant impact on our schools," said Mannarino. "We have room in our schools, they may just not be at Highcliff or at West View."

Mannarino said if push came to shove, the district could always consider reopening Seville Elementary, which closed in 2010.

"That's also the reason we've never even had a conversation about selling Seville," he said. "In the event that the population explodes, and we're looking at 450 to 500 graduating classes again, then you'd have a safety valve in Seville." 

Mannarino admits that once all of the Heartland Homes are built, some elementary redistricting may be necessary, but it's much too early to say for sure.

"The reality is that we have four districts now, four elementary schools, four small districts," said Mannarino. "We're going to have to talk about the fact that that worked for 2008. It might not necessarily work based upon what neighborhoods students are coming out of in 2015."

As far as the tax base, Mannarino said the Heartland plan is good news for the district.

"On the revenue side it is a major, major benefit," he said.

Follow us on Twitter | Like us on Facebook

Check out some of today's other top stories here .