New Schools Questions
1. How will students be reassigned to new schools? Based on location? How will an equitable distribution of students be achieved?
The entire Community Engagement process is designed to help answer these questions. There are many variables considered included location, school profile, growth, capacity, etc. After this series of meetings, staff will develop a proposal that will be given to parents for review. Revisions will be considered and a second proposal prepared. This proposal will be sent to parents and to the school board. The school board will hold hearings after which there may be revisions prior to the vote.
2. Will Knightdale ever get a school like Southeast Raleigh High?
If you are referring to a magnet school with a modified calendar, there is no proposal being considered at this time to do that.
3. Will the opening of Knightdale High School be delayed to shift Enloe students in order to do repairs at Enloe?
There is no consideration for this option being pursued at this time.
4. Why can’t you hold builders accountable for new growth money and land in Wake? It would raise funds and slow growth.
While there is a working agreement in this direction, there are no provisions that would “require” that growth money or land be provided for schools. This would have to be a legal requirement and would involve the legislature and the county commissioners.
5. To continue to encourage developers to donate land for new school construction shouldn’t we offer them some reassurance that, at least, part of their development will attend the schools built on their donated land? (i.e. Heritage Elementary/Heritage Middle, Wakefield Elementary/Wakefield Middle).
The land for these schools was purchased from the developer.
6. If the size of the school is limited to the size of the land and building foundation, why not build three-story high buildings?
The height of buildings, especially at the elementary level, faces certain restrictions as to which students can be housed above the ground level. At the secondary level, these restrictions would not be in place.
7. Is there any consideration being given to construction of a new high school in Northern Wake County - somewhere North of I-540 close to Six Forks - due North rather NE or NW?
A high school site did not make the priority list for the recently-passed bond issue. The facilities department continually updates their "needs list" for future sites.
8. When looking at projected growth and opening new schools, is it cost prohibitive to build more, smaller schools leaving room for permanent additions to those schools?
Because a major part of the expenditure for a new school is the core (administration, cafeteria, gym,
special rooms, etc) your suggestion has not been followed. It is something that the facilities group might want to look at. They will receive these questions/answers.
9. When building a new school in an area that has projected growth for the next 5-20 years, why is the design of the building not taken into account for future growth and the ability to add on (not trailers)? Consider ability to expand the school on the same site.
See the response above.
10. Why don’t you either add on to existing schools or build larger schools? You can double lunchroom, music programs, etc to avoid disrupting a student. I just moved and trust me the effects are devastating to my child.
The size of schools has been and will continue to be a topic of discussion for the school board. At present, the facilities department follows the direction of the board in determining the size. Please refer to question 10 regarding the adding on to existing buildings.
11. Why not put more temporary trailer classrooms on existing schools until new schools can be built in the same area?
There are limits to how many trailers can be placed on a campus and how many students can be served in a facility without compromising the instructional program. This could be a good short-term solution but not for more than a year or two.
12. Will grandfathering be allowed for 4th grader who is being reassigned to a new school? I would like for this policy to be in effect for new schools as well as existing.
That has not been done but is one of the topics suggested by some of the groups who have participated in the Community Engagement Sessions.
13. For Carpenter Elementary being a freshman center for Green Hope, what provisions are made for freshman taking advanced courses, i.e. algebra, second year languages, etc? What provisions are made for clubs and extra-curricular activities at these new centers? What about band?
These are questions that should be directed to the principal of the school.
14. Where are the seven new schools that will be opened in 2004? I could not find this information on WCPSS web?
Turner Creek, Highcroft, and Salem Middle are in the western area of the county near Highway 55. Heritage Middle and Jones Dairy are in the Wake Forest area. Forestville Road and Knightdale High are near Knightdale in the eastern part of the county.