Re-staffing schools, eliminating mobile classrooms and addressing old elementary school buildings are three top priorities a school board subcommittee identified as urgent needs for the Burke County School System.
The committee of Burke County Board of Education members charged with creating a five-year facilities plan held its first meeting Monday.
Headed up by school board member R.L. Icard, the members decided they would act as a steering committee for the visioning process and will receive input from school administrators, including the superintendent, finance officer, vocational director and technology director.
They then will appoint an advisory committee made up of stakeholders, such as students, parents, school personal, county commissioners and chamber members.
Interim Superintendent Larry Putnam told the subcommittee Monday night the most immediate need is re-staffing and that too many positions were eliminated during the current fiscal year’s budget process.
A revamped fund balance and cost savings measures already have allowed for music and physical education teachers to be rehired.
Putnam wants the system to bring back more such positions, as well as math and science teachers.
“When you have 60 students in a PE class, it’s chaos,” Putnam said.
He also wants the teachers to be better equipped with resources with both teaching materials and aid from teacher assistants and school counselors.
Putnam said a principal survey shows the principals especially want counselors back in their schools.
School board members agreed, saying teachers’ needs are a priority.
“Our teachers have pushed and pushed and pushed,” Icard said. “They have done so much with so little.”
The committee also briefly discussed redistricting.
School board member Buddy Armour said Monday he wants to eliminate all mobile classrooms, especially the six at Forest Hill and Mountain Crest elementary schools, and make the schools’ student populations more equal.
Before the 2010-11 school year, the school board consolidated Hillcrest and Mountain View elementary schools into Mountain Crest at the Hillcrest location, closing Mountain View.
One option discussed Monday night is turning the Mountain View building into a hybrid- or quasi-magnet school that would serve roughly 250 elementary school students and focus on foreign language and technology.
“We have got to do something about the overcrowding in those two schools (Forest Hill and Mountain Crest),” Icard said.
Putnam will investigate the options for Mountain View and collect feedback.
Icard identified Hilebran, Icard and Rutherford College elementary school buildings as being old and needing attention.
At the subcommittee’s next meeting, yet to be scheduled, members will focus on these three priorities plus a more long-range plan and how to form the advisory committee.
“We need to address all of these issues and do it in the least intrusive way for the students,” Icard said. “But, before we can go with a long-range plan, we need to address these more immediate needs.”
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement