Middle-school students living in Madison-annexed portions of Limestone County now have a clear idea where they’ll be attending high school.

The Madison City School Board approved Monday a proposal by superintendent Dr. Dee Fowler that will have students who attend Liberty Middle School attending the new James Clemens High School, set to open next fall. Students attending Discovery Middle School will attend Bob Jones High School.

Fowler said he was pleased the school board adopted his proposal, though the process is rarely without controversy. He said there was a “sense of relief” that a plan has been established that will allow administrators, parents and students to move forward.

“It’s never pleasurable to have to rezone in any form or fashion,” he said. “There is no perfect plan. There may be a plan you think is good, but your neighbor down the street thinks is bad.”

The JCHS and LMS zone now consists of the Mill Creek and Heritage Elementary school zones and includes a portion of the Columbia Elementary zone west of Balch Road. It also contains the portion of the Madison Elementary zone south of Browns Ferry Road, west of Hughes Road and north of Madison Boulevard with the exception of the Oak Stone, Park Meadow, Shelton Station, Stratford Square, Colonial Lake, Edgewater and Mountain Brook subdivisions.

The BJHS and DMS zone consists of the Horizon, Rainbow and West Madison Elementary school zones. It also includes the portion of the Columbia Elementary zone east of Balch Road and the city of Triana. The zone will also contain the portion of the Madison Elementary School zone north of Browns Ferry Road, east of Hughes Road and south of Madison Boulevard.

A letter from Fowler to school board members said the proposal maintains socio-economic balance and leaves room for growth at JCHS and LMS. He said it also eliminates geographic concerns posed by some neighborhoods.

In terms of new grade configurations, next year’s seventh-graders will attend middle school based on the new secondary zoning plan. Next year’s eighth-graders affected by the changes will have the option to stay in their current school or attend their new middle school, but the option is good for one year only. Those students must start their freshman year at the high school designated by the new zoning.

Next year’s freshmen and sophomores will attend high school based on the new zoning. Next year’s juniors will be placed into high school based on the new zoning, though parents of JCHS juniors may submit a request to have children placed at BJHS.

Next year’s seniors will be placed at BJHS, though seniors in the JCHS area may request to attend that school. If there are enough seniors to populate a senior class at JCHS, the system will honor those requests.

Fowler also emphasized in his communications with board members that JCHS would operate as a “full-service high school from day one.” The school will compete in varsity sports, have a marching band and cheer squad. Both high schools will use the same course catalog.