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Board to re-examine school's size

Friday, October 26, 2007

(Updated Saturday, July 19, 2008 - 11:28 pm)

By Morgan Josey Glover
Staff Writer

Time is running out for the Guilford County Board of Education to complete a project list for a proposed May 2008 bond referendum.

But board members want to re-examine the student capacity at a new Jamestown Middle School before sending the list to county commissioners in November or December for final approval.

The list currently totals $457.3 million. Commissioners have until January to schedule a referendum with the board of elections.

"I think Jamestown Middle School is too big," member Jeff Belton said in a meeting Thursday night. "A middle school with 1,200 kids is staggering."

The board asked district officials to research the costs to modify Jamestown's design to convert a classroom wing to accommodate students with autism. This would reduce the planned enrollment of other students from 1,200 to 900 students. The change would also remove a proposed autism wing at an expanded Ragsdale High School.

Some students in the Jamestown area could then be redistricted to Allen Jay Middle, which is being used by Union Hill elementary students until their new school is completed in early 2009, Belton said.

Board member Anita Sharpe expressed concern about altering the new Jamestown, originally promised to parents on a 2003 bond.

"What would you anticipate from the community?" Belton asked.

"Outrage," Sharpe said.

Belton: "Do you think they would prefer a population of 1,200 students?"

Sharpe: "I don't know."

Chairman Alan Duncan also asked staff to look at shaving $8 million in heating and cooling system replacements from the bond list by using energy-performance contracts. Those contracts would allow the district to pay for the improvements independently through energy savings over time.

Contact Morgan Josey Glover at 373-7078 or mjosey@news-record.com

SCHOOL BOARD UPDATE

The Guilford County Board of Education on Thursday also:
* Approved a budget of $266,533 in new local funds to pay for an evening high school to start in January. The money would come from leftover funds from a Mission Possible teacher incentive program.
* Agreed to discuss at its Nov. 8 meeting academic achievement, suspension rates and dropout rates among black students, after a request Thursday from members of area churches.
* Approved for review a draft 2008-09 calendar that would start classes on Aug. 26. The public can comment on the calendar by visiting http://www.gcsnc.com.
* Will receive a $37,500 settlement from Lyon Construction of Winston-Salem after suing the builder last year for structural flaws found at Eastern Middle School.
Guilford County Schools spent about $9 million last year to repair flaws found in the gymnasiums, cafeterias and classrooms at Eastern, Hairston and Kernodle middle schools. The board is still negotiating with TFF Architects of Greensboro, retired engineer Hermon Fox and two other builders to recoup those expenses.
MORGAN JOSEY GLOVER