HomeMy WebLinkAboutSeptember 23 2002 Meeting with School BoardsIREDELL COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
SPECIAL MEETING WITH THE
BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR THE IREDELL-STATESVILLE
SCHOOL SYSTEM & THE BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR
THE MOORESVILLE GRADED SCHOOL SYSTEM
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2002
The Iredell County Board of Commissioners met for a dinner meeting with the
Iredell-Statesville Board of Education and the Mooresville Graded Board of Education on
September 23, 2002, 6:30 p.m., at the Agricultural Resource Center, located at 444
Bristol Drive, Statesville, NC.
The following individuals were in attendance.
Iredell County Board of Commissioners
Sara Haire Tice, Chairman
Karen B. Ray, Vice Chairman
Tommy E. Bowles
Steve D. Johnson
R. Godfrey Williams
Iredell County Statf
Joel Mashburn, Iredell County Manager
Susan Blumenstein, Director of Finance & Administrative Services
Ron Smith, Planning Supervisor
Jean Moore, Clerk to the Board
Iredell-Statesville Board of Education
Vaughn Sprinkle, Chairman
David Cash
Tara Cashion
Jim Head
Mary Bruce Serene
Keith Williams
David Parker, Board member -elect
Ken Wilson, Board member -elect
Iredell-Statesville Staff
Julia Williams, Interim Superintendent
Bedford Cannon, School System Attorney
Terry Holliday— Superintendent effective November 1, 2002
Denise Holliday, spouse of new superintendent
Mooresville Graded Schools Board of Education
Frank P. Fields, Chairman
Karen M. Hart
Bill Thunberg
Mooresville Graded Schools Staff
Bruce Boyles, Superintendent
Roger Hyatt
Barry Shepherd
David Dutton
Media
Michelle Harrison, Record & Landmark
Michael Roessler, Mooresville Tribune
Jim Wrinn, Charlotte Observer1redeil Neighbors
Guest
Chris Roberts, SWBR Architects
PURPOSE OF THE MEETING: Dr. Julia Williams said the meeting had been
scheduled to remind everyone about the school needs of both systems. She said
information would be provided to show the effect of growth and development on the
schools. Williams said no formal request for funds would be presented at the meeting.
(A booklet containing information about student population and growth was then
presented and discussed. The booklet concluded by saying:
• The student population is growing at a fast rate, approximately 800/yr. or the
equivalent of one new school per year countywide.
• The ability to provide for growth and to replace/renovate aging facilities continues to
be a problem.
• Available space (classrooms, land for expansion/mobiles, special programs, state
initiatives, etc.) can limit our ability to provide an adequate education environment.
• Good Schools are essential to strong economic development and continual progress in
our county.
Some comments made were:
Dr. Williams: Harmony and Ebenezer Schools need major renovations.
Work has been done at Union Grove, but additional work is needed.
Statesville High needs major renovations and more space.
Troutman schools are at capacity.
New elementary school is needed to alleviate space problems at Lake
Norman Elementary.
Commuter rail in the southern end, along with the new Lowes facility
will affect the schools.
Just because a school was built for 800, this doesn't necessarily
mean 800 students will fit. e.g., exceptional children's classes
have space guidelines ("as -built" capacity is affected by size,
special classes, exceptional classes and Pre -K classes).
Pre -K classes do not count in a school's ADM (average daily membership).
Fifty percent (50%) of the new enrollees this year were from outside
North Carolina & five percent (5%) were from out of the country.
Dr. Boyles: Mooresville schools have doubled in the number of students since 1986.
The doubling will probably occur again in the next 15 years.
Most significant needs are in the elementary schools.
Presently has a site selected for a new intermediate school.
State mandates offer challenges, e.g., "More at Four" program & the
classroom sizes for the lower grades.
One school has to begin lunch at 10:30 a.m., & it concludes at 1:30 p.m.
The same zoning and permitting factors are faced by the schools as are
faced by the private sector.
85% of the student population in Iredell County is housed in brick/mortar
classrooms. The other 15% is in mobile classrooms (441 in the
Mooresville System and 2,850 in Iredell-Statesville).
Dr. Boyles and Dr. Williams stressed the need to continually renovate the older
schools.
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting concluded at approximately 8 p.m.
Approval:
Clerk to the Board