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August 25, 2003
The
Catawba County Board of Education held its two-day Board Retreat on
August 25-26,
2003 at the County Schools’ Administration
Building with Chairman Charlie Wyant presiding. The following members
were present: Mr. Biggerstaff, Mrs. Blackburn, Mrs. Sherrill, Mr. Scott,
Mrs. Butler and Mr. Sigmon. Also in attendance were Superintendent Ann
Hart, Assistant Superintendents Pat Hensley, Rick Sherrill and Nancy
Yount, Attorney Crystal Davis, Finance Officer Sondra Wolfe, Technology
Director Terry Bledsoe, Construction Coordinator Ernest Williams and
Public Information/Grants Writer Sonya Gordon. Other Central Office
staff attended various portions of the meeting.
Monte
Mitchell represented the Hickory Daily Record. The Observer
News Enterprise was represented by Sarah Newell.
The meeting opened with a Moment of Silence followed by the
Pledge of Allegiance led by Chairman Wyant. Mrs. Butler made a motion
to amend the agenda to conduct a Closed Session portion at the
conclusion of the meeting to discuss the Superintendent’s evaluation.
Mrs. Sherrill seconded the motion with no opposition.
The Catawba County Growth Estimation Model (CGEM) was the
first item on the agenda. Mr. DeWitt Blackwell and Mr. Taylor
Dellinger from the Western Piedmont Council of Governments (WPCOG)
presented the model to those in attendance. The model bases projected
future student enrollment and future school construction needs on data
related to issues of construction and development in the county and
community population growth. The intent of the model is to understand
the potential student population growth before school officials and
planners can determine the need for, location and size of future school
buildings within the county. An important component of the model is
the student per new housing unit ratio. Student populations grew as
expected with the economic boom of the late 1990’s. Between 2000 and
2002, 10,000 jobs were lost which reduced enrollment growth. Based on
current conditions under the CGEM model, Catawba County Schools’ ratio
of students in all grades per new single-family homes is .63 on average
with the highest ratios being at the elementary school level. Higher
ratios continued to occur in schools along city edges. Other components
of the model included projected number of new housing units, current
student enrollment, grade retention rates, birth rates, drop-out rates
and economic conditions. Discussion was held among members regarding
the amount of property owned by Crescent Resources along Lake Norman and
the possibility of increased enrollment in the Sherrills Ford area.
Data from the WPCOG reveals the Sherrills Ford Elementary School,
Campbell Elementary School, Blackburn Elementary School and Startown
Elementary School areas have potential for large growth, according to
their data. The biggest driver of student enrollment growth has been
the increase in minority student populations between 1995 and 2002.
Student attendance areas in each high school district including their
feeder elementary and middle schools were presented to members. After
the presentation, Mr. Blackwell and Mr. Taylor welcomed comments and/or
any questions from the Board. Superintendent Hart and various members
thanked Mr. Blackwell and Mr. Taylor for their outstanding and very
informative presentation.
Next on the agenda was the review of the district’s Long
Range Facility Plan. To prepare for the projected student growth in the
schools, it is necessary to review the plan. Assistant Superintendent
Sherrill presented current enrollment and capacity data in the schools.
He displayed two maps one of which highlighted the current school data
and the other one using the CGEM model data. The district’s 2003-2014
Long Range Facility Plan was presented allowing time for discussion and
any questions from any members. Possible school construction
priorities on the plan include: the addition at Fred T. Foard High
School ($4.98 million) that will be ready for occupancy in September;
the construction of the new Maiden High School ($1 million in planning
and $26 million for construction which will open in 2006); the addition
of nine classrooms, renovation of front entrance and additional parking
at St. Stephens High School ($2.5 million project which has been delayed
until the old St. Stephens Elementary School property can be sold to
finance the project); conversion of Tuttle Middle School into an
elementary school ($2.6 million) and the conversion of the existing
Maiden High School into a middle school ($600,000) both of which will
open in 2006; possible construction of a new elementary school in the
Catawba area ($9.2 million); land acquisition ($250,000) for future
construction of a new elementary school in the Banoak/Blackburn area; a
new St. Stephens area elementary school ($9.4 million) or middle school
($10 million) which are still being discussed by the Board; renovations
at Arndt Middle School ($2.7 million); new cafeteria including
renovations to current cafeteria and eight additional classrooms at
Bunker Hill High School ($2.4 million); new Banoak/Blackburn area
elementary school ($9.6 million) or additional classrooms at Banoak
Elementary School ($1.7 million); new cafeteria and renovations to
current cafeteria at Fred T. Foard High School and Bandys High School
($1.8 million for each school); additional classrooms at Sherrills Ford
Elementary School ($1 million); new cafeteria and renovations to current
cafeteria at Clyde Campbell Elementary School ($1.2 million); land
acquisition, athletic facilities improvement and new gym at Bunker Hill
High School ($3.25 million); additional classrooms, new cafeteria and
renovations to current cafeteria at Claremont Elementary School ($1.6
million); new gym at Bandys High School ($2.25 million); and new gym and
update to football stadium at Fred T. Foard High School ($2.35
million). After discussion, some revisions were made to the plan which
will be brought back to the Board at the September 22nd
meeting. Direction was also given to Superintendent Hart and Assistant
Superintendent Sherrill to investigate the possibility and cost of
hiring a realtor to help sell/market the old St. Stephens Elementary
School property. The Board also directed them to contact Crescent
Resources to see if their company would still be interested in
purchasing the property. In January, the Board declined Crescent
Resources’ offer of $2.35 million for the property.
The last item on the agenda for the day was the
presentation of the proposed plans for the new Maiden High School.
Architect Atilla Orkan and Maiden High School Principal Dwayne Finger
joined the meeting. Members were given a notebook containing draft
educational specifications for the new school. Superintendent Hart
commended Construction Coordinator Williams, Principal Finger and
Assistant Superintendent Sherrill for their outstanding work and
planning for the new school. Construction Coordinator Williams then
presented the detailed design of the building and an outline of the
schematic floor and site plans. The current Maiden High School was
built in 1953 for a student capacity of 525. Opening in August 2006,
the new school will have the student capacity of 1,000 students and room
to expand to 1,200 students as needed. Various committees composed of
educators, administrators, parents and business representatives have met
over the last month to determine what programs will be offered at the
school, how classrooms would be configured, the location and style of
the athletic fields and any other factors that need to be discussed when
building a new school. Workforce Development Director Roxy Poovey
presented to the members career technology plans at the new school
including the offering of health occupation courses. Construction
Coordinator Williams highlighted other plans which included: an
entrance facing West Main Street; bus entry off South East Avenue, 550
parking spaces in front of the school, 250 additional parking spaces in
the rear to be used mostly for sporting events, 160 parking spaces near
the stadium, tennis courts at an upper elevation, softball and baseball
fields with a combined press box, a football stadium with an eight-lane
track and seating for 3,000 persons on the home-side and 1,000 persons
on the visitor side (which can be expanded), a soccer field, an athletic
field house, practice football and soccer fields, theater/arts wing at
the front of the building along with a gym on the other side,
Exceptional Children’s classes in the middle of the floor plans, English
and math classes in the center left wing, social studies and foreign
language classes and the ROTC classroom on the center right wing, a
business and science wing at the back left, a dining area in the rear
and the career technology area in the back right of the facility.
After the presentation and discussion, Architect Atilla
Orkan addressed the group and thanked Construction Coordinator Williams
for his work and efforts. Mr. Orkan did emphasize that all plans meet
state standards and building code requirements. A construction budget
page outlining the $26 million will be given to members at the next
regular meeting on September 22nd. Standing proudly to make
the motion, Mrs. Blackburn eagerly made the motion to approve the
presented plans for the new Maiden High School including schematic and
floor plans. Mrs. Butler seconded the motion with no opposition.
There being no other items of business on the agenda, a
motion was made by Mrs. Sherrill to go into Closed Session pursuant to
G.S. 143-318.11 for the following purposes: under subsection (a)(1) to
prevent the disclosure of privileged and confidential student
information pursuant to 20 U.S.C. 1232g (FERPA); and under subsection
(a)(1) to prevent the disclosure of privileged and confidential
personnel information pursuant to G.S. 115C-319-321. Mrs. Butler
seconded the motion and all members were in favor.
CLOSED SESSION (Separate minutes for Closed Session are
prepared and kept confidential.)
The Board returned to open session with a motion by Mr.
Biggerstaff seconded by Mr. Scott with no opposition.
Mr. Scott then made the motion to adjourn. Mrs. Butler
seconded the motion and all members were in favor. Day one of the Board
of Education Retreat adjourned at 4:35 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
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Charlie C. Wyant, Chairman
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Ann Y. Hart, Secretary
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