School board approves 2009-10 reorganization plan
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on April 10, 2009 1:46 PM
The Board of Education has approved reorganization of four schools in the district -- including the closing of its two alternative schools and consolidation of two other city schools.
At its meeting Thursday night, the board unanimously approved the resolution that had been introduced two months ago before holding a public hearing last month.
Reading from the proposed resolution, Dr. Steven Taylor, superintendent of schools, said it was the board's recommendation that Belfast Academy and Southern Academy be closed, transferring students into one location, the current Goldsboro Intermediate School building.
Further, students in fifth through sixth grade at Goldsboro Intermediate will move to the Dillard Middle School campus and change the grade configuration there to fifth through eighth grade.
Studies have been done to determined the feasability of such a move, Taylor said, including such factors as enrollment changes, inconvenience or hardship that might result from the proposed closing and consolidation and projected costs and savings.
Following the public hearing held March 6, the board has found the proposal to be in the best interest of the school system, Taylor said.
He explained that the two alternative schools will be closed at the end of the school year, with other changes to be effective with the 2009-10 school year.
Students from the alternative schools will then occupy the first floor of Goldsboro Intermediate, where it will become a middle school academy and high school academy. The second floor will be used for administrative offices, the board had said earlier.
There was no discussion following the vote, and board members did not comment on their decision.
Board Chairman George Moye said that there wasn't much to say, since a public hearing had been held and the majority of comments shared that night had not been in opposition as much as expressing concern about other areas, such as the need for diversity.
Another issue accompanying passage of the proposal concerns leasing a program housed on the Southern Academy campus, said Sprunt Hill, assistant superintendent for auxiliary services.
With the change of hands, he said, the lease will likely go through Mount Olive for ADLA Inc. to continue using the building.