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GREENSBORO — Blanca Moreno’s voice didn’t quiver Thursday night and her hands didn’t shake as she read in her native Spanish a letter to the Guilford County school board in a packed board room.

Moreno, interpreted by Elena Romero, asked the school board when officials were going to fix the leaky roof at Archer Elementary and replace the filthy carpet and repair the ailing heating and air conditioning system.

“Since it’s an old school it should take priority,” Moreno said Friday in the school’s library where the leaking roof has stained walls, ruined books and threatened expensive computer equipment.

Moreno wasn’t alone at the board meeting; two other parents echoed her concerns to the board, and about a dozen more sat in quiet solidarity.

Leo Bobadilla, the school system’s chief operations officer, said what the parents expect is more than reasonable. But meeting those expectations costs money, money Bobadilla is struggling to find.

“The reality is the funding is not keeping pace with the needs of our schools,” he said.

About two-thirds of the county’s 120 schools are more than 30 years old and have never undergone a major renovation. Archer, on Four Seasons Boulevard in Greensboro, was built in 1962. That, Bobadilla says, works out to a lot of leaky roofs and other major facilities concerns.

It will cost an estimated $375,000 just to replace Archer’s roof.

The bond passed by voters last year will pay for some of those needs, including a new boiler unit for Archer. But the school system had to reprioritize the projects on the bond list earlier this year when, fearing the full bond amount would not sell, they lowered the amount they placed on the market.

State funding is also drying up.

Gov. Bev Perdue diverted lottery and construction money meant for schools to help stabilize the state budget.

Archer principal Patrice Brown said she understands the budget constraints but she doesn’t want Archer’s needs overlooked.

“My greatest concern is that with the budget the way it is, this kind of stuff doesn’t get lost in the shuffle,” she said.

Brown said Bobadilla and his staff have been very responsive, coming whenever she or her parents call.

“I think it will get done, it’s just a matter of when,” said Michael Dearman, father of two and Archer PTA president.

Some relief, at least from the leaky roof, could be coming soon. Maintenance crews were scheduled to work on the roof this week but the rain has prevented them. Bobadilla said they’ll be up there Monday, weather permitting.

This summer, crews are scheduled to replace the carpet and heating and air conditioning system. The roof is scheduled to be replaced in 2011.

But there are lots of other schools with impromptu rain buckets in the middle of hallways and classrooms across the county. As the years creep forward and budgets shrivel, Bobadilla has no doubt those concerns will grow like cracks in a wall.

“I think the reality is, short of a major infusion of cash, we’re going to see more of this,” he said.

To address these needs, Superintendent Maurice “Mo” Green has outlined major efforts to be conducted over the next three years. The first is a systemwide audit of facilities and materials to set standards for both and then work toward meeting those. The second is a preventative maintenance plan that will identify needs and create a schedule to meet those needs.

Contact J. Brian Ewing at 373-7351 or brian.ewing@news-record.com.