School board approves new commons area at high school
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on April 15, 2015 1:46 PM
The Wayne County Board of Education voted Monday night to proceed with the project to build a commons area at Goldsboro High School and adopted a resolution objecting to the state's unfunded driver education mandate.
Since learning that the bid for the GHS project came in over budget, the board was faced with delaying the project or coming up with money from other sources.
Finance Officer Beverly Boltinhouse laid out three options for funding the additional $452,571 needed -- a fourth option called for the board to rebid to lower the costs. The choices included using $125,000 left over from air conditioning the gymnasiums at Carver Heights Elementary and Dillard Middle schools, with suggestions for the $327,571 balance being to request special funds from the county, requesting overage of Spring Creek project funds or using local half-cent sales tax.
After a 40-minute discussion, the board voted 5-2 to use local half-cent sales tax money. Board Chairman Chris West and board member Jennifer Strickland were the dissenting votes.
Board member Arnold Flowers, chairman of the facilities committee, said its recommendation was to continue the commitment to the project and "figure out a way to pay for it."
The board agreed not to delay the project further and fulfill its promise to complete the renovations and construction at GHS.
The driver ed resolution was designed to send a message to the General Assembly to revisit its decision to eliminate funding the program July 1 and either restore the full Highway Trust Fund allocation or establish another funding source. "This is an effort for us to show our support, to make sure we keep the funding in place for driver's ed," West said.The program was formerly funded by the Highway Trust Fund, but was removed from the 2014 state budget, accompanied by the announcement of the state's intent to eliminate funding beginning July 1. School districts would still be required to provide and operate driver education, and would have the authority to charge fees to participants.
A policy was also introduced that will affect students in line for driver ed services.
Policy 4130, Guidelines for Pupil Assignment and Reassignment, was adopted after the board waived a first reading.
Allison Pridgen, executive director for administrative services, said a "special note" had been included in the policy specific to high school students requesting reassignment to a Wayne County high school.
"(They) will not be eligible for driver's ed until they have been in Wayne County Public Schools for two semesters," she explained. "It ensures that students in Wayne County Public Schools are allowed to complete driver's ed in their home county without being pushed aside."
Historically, students are taken in the program in order of age and not necessarily when they take the classroom portion, she said.
"We wanted to ensure that our Wayne County students do get that first option," she said.
The addendum was deemed appropriate since other counties may not fund driver's ed, and Wayne County has an open transfer policy, board members said before approving the change.
"This board tonight has protect ed the rights of your child," board member Eddie Radford said. "We'll actually protect your child to take driver's ed."
Flowers encouraged the public to send a message to state legislators of the hardship paying for driver's ed would place on school districts.
Pridgen also suggested letting legislators know the importance of the program.
"We have been real fortunate in the state of North Carolina to have funding for driver's ed," he said. "There are other states that surround us that parents have to pay $600 to $800.
"We're doing everything we can do sustain (the program). We'll see what we have to do with our funding, but your calls to the legislators will help."