At the May 7 Buncombe County Board of County Commissioners meeting, ADW Architects presented a conceptual plan for the former Asheville Elementary School on Haywood Road. The proposed redesign includes a library, an EMS station, and a maintenance and operations building.
Some commissioners expressed fear that maintenance and the garage may not be the maximum productive use for an asset in one of the city’s major urban corridors.
A week later, at its May 13 meeting, the Asheville City School Board questioned monetary obligations related to the plan, which also includes a kindergarten at Hall Fletcher Elementary School and the conversion of the existing Montford North Star Academy into an ACS school of choice. .
“If we leave the Asheville Elementary School building, where we have our operations lately, who will pay for the structure of the operations center?” asked school board vice president Amy Ray, who said she would find it difficult to give up any rights to property she receives. county cash.
The county plans to pay for the library and emergency medical facilities, but expects the school board to fund some of the additional buildings and renovations from its capital fund budget, county Superintendent Avril Pinder told the school board. No value estimates were included in ADW Architects. ‘ presentation.
“This backlash worries me because if all we have is the fund we already have for Asheville High and all the other buildings that have critical maintenance needs, it would be very difficult to fund something new unless we get primary funding. that background,” Ray responded.
Board President George Sieburg, who sits on the county’s Education Capital Fund Commission, explained that there is already a list of priorities waiting for education capital funding. If the board prioritizes pre-kindergarten or proposed maintenance facilities, then anything else would be moved. further down the precedence list. To illustrate conversion priorities, Sieburg said the commission would not fund concession positions in the university’s ball box this year because other projects were considered higher on the precedence list.
Ray noted that if the school fund were to struggle to fund only school concessions and normal construction maintenance, then a new facility would not succeed without investment from the county or other sources.
“All those conversations still want to take place,” Pinder said. “Even if we have numbers, it will take several more months before we can reach you in more detail. “He said the presentation was only meant to show how the site works. It can meet county and school board priorities.
Charlotte-based Prismatic Services Inc. has begun visiting each and every city and county school as part of its work to draft a feasibility study on consolidating Asheville City Schools and Buncombe County Schools, a task mandated by the state legislature. The consulting team plans to finalize the duration of their contract in 75 days on-site. The cabinet will submit a final report by the end of December and hold public meetings no later than Friday, January 31.
This delay limits the ability of county and city school forums to expand their own recommendations based on the study’s findings, which they must submit to the state General Assembly no later than Saturday, Feb. 15.
Rachael Sawyer, the county’s director of strategic partnerships, explained that while the law obviously states that councils will have to make their own recommendations to the legislature, the two councils don’t have to make the same recommendations.
Asheville board member Rebecca Strimer recommended working with Prismatic for updates along the way rather than waiting for the final report at the end of the year. Sieburg recommended making an effort at the beginning of the school year to ensure the network is aware of the exam to inspire greater network participation in the process.
“With the time we have now, I need to think about how we can maximize our interactions with Prismatic in December to put us on a trajectory that will allow us to effectively meet the Feb. 15 deadline,” Strimer said.
Sawyer said he would ask Prismatic to meet with forums in December before submitting his final proposals.
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Asheville parents worry that a merger could hurt their children’s education.
Buncombe County parents fear a merger will harm their children’s education.
Given that the state has been offering the political will and leadership for this much-needed merger, it is not unreasonable to assume that it will eliminate the per-student spending criteria that are raised in discussions.
Of course, none of our political leaders will touch this lightning rod. However, it would be comforting to see some rise from the merge.
Just out of curiosity, why (in your opinion) do you think a merger will replace the effects of a poorly controlled and poorly organized system?The other people and hierarchies guilty of this mismanagement are still in business.
It would be a good idea not to express your opinion in such definitive terms and tell parents what is “valid” and what is not.
And do I think that your assertion that the merger will not harm the schooling of young people is based on the fact that it turns out that either formula will be managed worse than has been shown lately?
Buncombe County is better run than ACS. BCS is the larger of the two systems; Hence my conclusion.
As long as students are disciplined and study rooms are well controlled, learning can take place and good luck is more in the hands of the family than the school.
At least, in spite of everything, you seek to prevent your reviews instead of continually making declarative statements where your opinion is the only valid option or reasoning. Just because you say it louder and longer doesn’t mean it’s right.
And, just in case, anyone who tries to claim that any of those local entities are operating at their maximum capacity, or rather effective, or operating at a point above a critical point of capacity, is probably wrong. So, take it as you see fit, because history suggests that they don’t take slights or complaining well.
Real data on genuine topics. What an idea. Thank you Mont Express. Me like the expression “education is a confusing business”. Perhaps the consolidation of the two districts is the best surprise for everyone involved. Many voices in favor of the merger are harsh and surprising.
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