Board's plan for Douglass Elementary still unclear
EDEN - One down, one to go.
With a unanimous vote on Monday night to demolish the old Draper Elementary School and build a new one, the Rockingham County Board of Education laid to rest half of a debate that has been going on for months.
But it still hasn't decided which way it wants to go with Douglass Elementary, a former black school.
On Monday the board fussed, fretted and presented a flurry of motions over what to do with the school. Some members of the black community want a portion of the school's oldest building saved through renovation for historical and sentimental purposes.
Some board members empathize with the black community. Others say the effort is not worth spending the extra time and money it could take to renovate.
The district wants to build or renovate four schools over the next few years. School officials have $35 million to $40 million to work with, said Bill Holcomb, associate superintendent for administrative services, on Monday.
School board Chairwoman Elaine McCollum said a meeting is being planned with Rockingham County commissioners to discuss the money the district has to build schools and whether to place another sales-tax referendum on the November ballot. The board hopes to use any money generated from a tax for school construction.
Board member Tim Scales wasn't optimistic about the tax, saying the public "shot it dead the first time."
"We need to get to moving on what we got," Scales told the board Monday.
In other business, the board voted to phase out a day care program for infants and toddlers at Reidsville High School and Western Rockingham Middle. Officials say they're losing money on the program, which is used by school employees and students with children.
The board also discussed the process to fill the seat once occupied by Jim Austin, who died last month.
The board plans to place a legal notice in local papers advertising the vacancy. Board members will review applications and make a recommendation for the at-large seat, but the final appointment will be made by county commissioners.
Contact Jonnelle Davis at 627-4881, Ext. 126,or jonnelle.davis@news-record.com.
