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Southwestparent
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Posted: May 3rd, 2007 03:16 am |
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Many of you might not know but its imperative that if the November school Bond gets passed the Airports middle and High schools must be included. Northwest HS has grown by just over 100 children each year for the last four years. With 2400 enrolled this year even if they take out a certain amount for the new Northern HS next year (I think its 500?) with that kind of growth by 2011 the school will be at the same level again.
At the recent Bond forums organised by the school board Southeast parents made a great campaign for their schools. They "will" get more money for those schools which means one thing. SOmething needs to come off the list.
Dot Kearns has already gone on record that she in favor of nixing the Airport schools!!!!!
Regardless if you supprt the school bonds the Airport schools need to be on that list. What happens if the bond passes and they are not? Its time to write to the school board. West Guilford County needs the Airport schools.
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macca
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Posted: May 3rd, 2007 10:01 am |
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| What was Dot Kearns' justification for "nixing" the airport schools?????
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Jim Flynt
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Posted: May 3rd, 2007 11:12 am |
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Southwestparent wrote: Many of you might not know but its imperative that if the November school Bond gets passed the Airports middle and High schools must be included.
Is there any definition of what is meant by the term 'airport schools'? When were these schools first planned or discussed? Which school districts would they affect?
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macca
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Posted: May 3rd, 2007 11:27 am |
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| I believe these have been discussed for at least a couple of years, and were proposed to serve the "airport area," no particular district, as district lines can be re-drawn.
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A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. Herm Albright
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Jim Flynt
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Posted: May 3rd, 2007 11:46 am |
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| Macca, Thanks. I just wasn't familiar with the planning or terms.
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GRITS
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Posted: May 3rd, 2007 07:41 pm |
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I can not find anything on the internet under the GCS or TV news station, as to why Dot Kearns is throwing in the towel to nix the airport middle and high school. This is a rediculous suggestion. I do agree that these schools need to be built, nor do I want to take away from Southeast.
But after looking over the suggested proprosal and the individual projects that are being planned in the future. It certainly looks as though smarter and wiser resolutions could be made.
Did NW just have a renovation of some sort a couple of years ago? I know a cafeteria and a new media center was added, but was not a gym added or not? I can't remember.
But it appears it would be more cost effective in order to accomodate needs for both the NW and the SE part of the county if:
1) nix the Southeast MS auxillary gym, media & dining expansion cost $9,616,828 (this cost would be absorbed in the new school.)
Nix all gym renovations and atheletic facility improvements (unless it needs repair d/t safety issues)--this could be proposed later--new schools are more important now.
2) Reduce the cost of projected airport high school (it is showing currently at $66,337,00 to build this school + the site. Northern cost half of this. A green school would be awesome and is currently what Northern has, but is it affordable at this time? The Winston Salem Forsyth county school systems can build schools for even less.
I also see $2,000,00.oo for video surveillanc system wide, and $1,000,000.00 for system wide tennis improvements, and $2,000,000.00 for system wide track improvements. Do all the schools need this?
My suggestion may seem rediculous to some, but it is just a suggestion.
I have a hard time trying accept these bond referrendums, for the proposed school projects, when in the long run, I feel shorted. This is my money and yours that will have to be paid back---so let's make sure -- we get what is definitely needed. And if anyone can help change my opinion please do, because education is very important.
Last edited on May 3rd, 2007 07:49 pm by GRITS
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Southwestparent
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Posted: May 3rd, 2007 10:11 pm |
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I would imagine that the Airport schools will be in the Colfax area. The exact location is unknown at this time. These schools are the solution for the growth in the west of Guilford County that is overcrowding both Northwest and Southwest schools. Dot Kearns is mixing her High Point agenda with the Airport High School and middle school proposal. Northwest and North High Point need these schools.
Here is what Kearns said to the News and record.
"Kearns said she supported adding classrooms to Southwest to limit the use of mobile classrooms but might nix the proposed airport-area middle and high schools" .
Anyway, the message is that something will have to go out of the 450 million total. If you want to have avoid overcrowding at NW it must be on the bond list.
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Baseball Buddy
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Posted: May 3rd, 2007 10:27 pm |
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| I'M sorry, but I'm confused, is it SW or SE?
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Southwestparent
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Posted: May 3rd, 2007 10:50 pm |
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Southwest Middle and High are almost directly South of the Northwest schools on the other side of 40. The Airport schools would be located almost exactly in between the two sets of schools in the Colfax area. YOu might look at this just like the Northern concept. Northern took the pressure off Northwest and relieved it. The Airport will do the same but from the other side.
"Southeast" parents have lobbied the school board to improve their schools. They were about the only significant parent group to turn up at the recent bond forums ran by the school board. A significant amount of money or projects will have to come off the current list to fit in what the Southeast parents want. I know this school board. They will give the Southeast parents what the want and cut something else off.
It seems like Dot Kearns wants to cut the airport schools. With the growth in North High Point, The growth in Northwest and the heart of the triad etc these schools will be needed.
We will live with the results of this bond for many years. We cant let Dot Kearns take away these much needed schools.
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GRITS
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Posted: May 4th, 2007 12:02 am |
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| Will this help with some of the other overcrowding at NW? The Northern really has not relieved much of the overcrowding issue at all. l
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Southwestparent
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Posted: May 4th, 2007 12:14 am |
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| That is the idea.
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mstone
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Posted: May 4th, 2007 05:55 pm |
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Being the general pain-in-the-butt to the school board for the past 20 years (mention my name and watch them cringe) I have a little more insight on the Airport Schools issues you might find interesting.
First, the overcrowding issue is the push for the new schools. No property has been located or purchased, but it would likely be located in the I-40 area on the western edge of the county. The idea would be to draw students from Northwest, Western, and Southwest schools. One immediate problem is land. The proposed area is heavily industrial, and land costs are astronomical.
Dot Kearns is generally opposed to any school solution that doesn't focus on the most needy schools/students. A nice thought, but you can't ignore the overcrowding in the NW area - well.... we can't, but she will. Now that being said, don't think for a second that Dot isn't a master politician. She knows darn good and well that a bond will not pass without two blocks of votes. They have to have the Greensboro inner city vote and they have to have the NW area vote. What she's doing is setting the stage for a "compromise". She's eventually going to come out with a position that she was never against the airport schools, but she was most concerned for the poorer kids/schools. Then she'll offer up a carrot (minimal funding for the airport schools that are placed at the very bottom of the construction list) as long as the NW area agrees to support a bond for all the stuff she sees as important.
As far as costs - not one single BOE member can answer the question as to why construction of a school in Guilford County costs almost double that of Forsyth County. Forsyth just finished a new high school for $48 million. The proposed airport HS has a projected price tag of $81 million. It's not the cost of land either. While land might cost a little more, we aren't talking double the price per acre. The reality is that the administration wants these huge monuments to the education process instead of functional schools that educate our kids.
A prime example of this is Southeast HS. Burned to the ground. The BOE wants enough money to duplicate Northern HS. The problem is that the foundation is already there, the sewer and water and electric service is there. The parking is there. The site is already graded. In fact, the BOE wants to borrow money even though it has $30 million in unspent bond money sitting in the bank not earmarked for any other project. They haven't even filed a claim with the insurance company to get money for reconstruction. The behind the scene reality is that the administration wants to use the additional money for new programs and added "stuff" that they can't fund otherwise.
Here's another question the administration can't or won't answer - How much money has been donated to reconstruct SE high? Shouldn't that money get figured in to the request? How about this - everyone that insures a home has a policy that covers the replacement cost of the structure and it's contents. A fiscally responsible administration would do the same for the schools. Yet we continually hear that there's not enough money to replace the school with insurance money. Well, if you try to put an $80 million "green" school out there, probably not.
The reality is that the airport schools will be on the next bond referendum. Where on the list remains to be seen. Just remember this - Guilford County taxpayers have provided over $1 Billion dollars (that's billion with a big "B") in the past 7 years. How many schools could you build with a billion dollars? And consider that projects from every bond referendum are left incomplete because of cost overruns and poor planning. A bond referendum is a promise to build schools if we provide "x" dollars. The BOE and administration are notorious for breaking this promise. Finally, it's hard to support a bond package when the BOE drops school projects from the list approved by voters and uses the money to start or build other projects. Just ask the Jamestown parents how they feel about seeing their school projects cancelled so a 9th grade academy could be started at Smith HS.
There's more information, but it gets depressing to think about it all. Sorry for the long post. I'm just venting.
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GRITS
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Posted: May 4th, 2007 06:39 pm |
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mstone wrote:
Land isn't appreciating that quickly is it?
Never mind, I went back and re-read year post, and you have already answered it.
So, the "Green School" is the cause for inflammation correct?
Your information provided only supports my negative opinions not to vote for the bond. Trust me, everyone, I want the new school as well. The BOE needs to start delivering what they have promised in the past in order to move forward if they want support from the NW community.
Also, correct me if I am wrong, but didn't we just vote on school bond in last November's election? What was it for, I honestly can't remember.
Last edited on May 4th, 2007 07:14 pm by GRITS
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Southwestparent
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Posted: May 4th, 2007 09:35 pm |
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Vote no for the bond by all means but the first battle is to keep them on the list.
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mstone
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Posted: May 4th, 2007 10:07 pm |
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GRITS wrote:
So, the "Green School" is the cause for inflammation correct?
Grits,
Not exactly. "Green schools" add significant costs, but opinions vary on how much. I think that the inflated numbers are primarily due to the fact that the administration (and ultimately the BOE) have decided to build monuments rather than school houses. There's absolutlely no need for some of the tweaks and gadgets put in schools. The buildings are high-dollar brick, ornamental, and architechturally magnificent. Spare no expense to make each school a grand experience when you enter.
Then you've got charter schools and private schools that don't have all that fancy stuff turning out kids with tremendous educations. If the BOE would put the money into the schools (teachers and academics) instead of structures, then we'd all be better off.
I propose that Guilford County schools have 3 blueprints for schools. One each for Elementary, Middle, and High schools. You need a high school, pull out a plan. They all are identical. Basic materials, nothing fancy. Contractor know exactly what they are getting in to when they bid. Since materials are already identified, there's savings there as well. No more design teams - no high dollar architechs - just educational facilities. PERIOD.
Put it this way... if I gave you 80 million and told you to build as many schools as possible that would provide a safe, efficient, and productive environment for learning - how many would I get? With our BOE in Guilford County - maybe one, but not likely. In Forsyth - 2. In Davidson - almost 3. WHY?
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