Schools eye mobile unit option
By Kathi Keys
Staff Writer, The Courier-Tribune
ASHEBORO - A delay in Asheboro City Schools' future capital projects
until 2010 could result in more than 20 mobile classrooms at the elementary
level along with the redrawing of attendance lines.
"Obviously, it is our preference to move the timeline forward from
2010," Asheboro Schools Superintendent Dr. Diane Frost said Thursday
night when she addressed facility planning at the Asheboro City Board of
Education's regular meeting.
She said that city school officials have met with Randolph County Manager
Frank Willis about the option of proceeding with an addition at Guy B. Teachey
Elementary School to alleviate the projected elementary student growth over
the next five years.
"The county manager and his staff have been crunching numbers over
the past week to see what's possible within the restraints of the county's
debt limit," Frost said.
Additions at Teachey and North Asheboro Middle School, along with more
classroom space at Asheboro High School, were identified last November as
the city system's top capital priorities needing funding from the county.
The Randolph County Board of Commissioners voted Jan. 3 to rescind its
September 2004 decision to proceed with a $43 million school bond referendum
this spring to provide capital projects funding for the city schools, Randolph
County Schools and Randolph Community College.
The commissioners decided to prioritize the projects, from a countywide
perspective, and provide funds for two new county high schools (in the northeastern
section and Archdale-Trinity) through the Certificates of Participation
(COPS) method from 2006-10. City school and RCC funding requests were identified
as the third priority for funding starting in 2010, until state bond funds
are available prior to that time.
"I'm optimistic that a more suitable timeline will emerge,"
Frost told the school board Thursday night.
In the meantime, a long-range mobile unit plan for each school site is
being developed by Mike Mize, city schools' director of facilities and maintenance.
And, at the board's winter retreat next weekend, Michael Miller from
N.C. State's OR/Ed (Operations Research/Education) Laboratory will talk
about using the lab's enrollment growth projection data for redrawing student
attendance lines.
OR/Ed provided enrollment projections as part of Asheboro's long-range
facility plan developed last year. That plan showed that, with Teachey's
expansion, there would be enough elementary school capacity until the 2010-11
school year.
Frost said student growth is projected to grow by 250-300 elementary
students in the next five years. "To house these students would require
more than 20 mobile units at our elementary schools. If we must wait until
2010, then one in five elementary students would be in mobile units."
During the board discussion, she said Teachey would have the most space
available for mobile classrooms at the elementary schools, while a couple
units could be located at Lindley Park.
Balfour and Donna Lee Loflin would have "very little" space
and there probably would not be space at Charles McCrary for more units.
There are two units each at Balfour and McCrary this school year.
Board member Stan Haywood questioned the city's representation in the
commissioners' 5-0 vote to make the two county high schools the top priorities.
"Where was the city's vote on this? We're suppose to have a voice there.
... Why didn't someone argue for Asheboro City Schools?"
Steve Jones, chairing his first regular school board meeting after his
selection to the post at the end of December's meeting, replied, "All
of us echo your frustrations."
Asheboro parents will be advised of the funding situation in the school
district's next newsletter which will go out with reports cards on Jan.
24.
Copyright 2002, Stephens Media Group
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