By Jeremy D. Wells
Carter County Times
The Carter County school district’s Local Planning Committee met in regular session last week to accept and discuss the district facility plan, which set out a budget and plan for the construction of a consolidated high school and career technical center, and to hear public feedback on the idea.
The committee began the meeting by reviewing updated data from the state regarding the district’s facility plan related to projected enrollment numbers, school capacity, and programs, among others.
The plan would eventually close the two existing middle schools, with those students moving to the East and West Carter high school buildings. Because of that, renovations and improvements scheduled for the two high school buildings – such as gym repairs and modifications to ramps, stairs, and rails for Life Safety Code and American Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance – are still included in the proposed district plan, and would be budgeted for. Repairs and updates to systems at the existing middle school buildings, such as the planned replacement of HVAC systems and roofs at the two buildings, could be cancelled; saving the district nearly $2 million that could be put toward other projects across the district.
If the board accepts and approves the new district facility plan, the consolidated high school would also include a new career and technical center campus. That campus could have classroom space to accommodate programs in pre-nursing, mechanical engineering and computer aided drafting, cyber engineering, residential carpentry, entry level welding, electrical, HVAC, and additional health services programs, if the plan is approved exactly as presented.
Committee chair Andy Lyons pointed out that this plan was only one option, which the planning committee was presenting to the board, and the board would make the final decision on what aspects to change.
He did point out, however, that some of the funds that would be available from the state for a new high school building were earmarked specifically for new construction. They could not be used to fund repairs and upgrades to existing facilities.
The cost estimate for the new high school came in at $46,875,024.00 with several million in additional costs associated with the technical center.
Some critics of the potential consolidation, however, seized on this number to ask if that was a true cost. They pointed out that the location wasn’t chosen yet, and that the cost to run water, electric and other infrastructure would impact that final number. A representative with the architecture firm that helped develop the plan, however, said the numbers were based on state mandated guidelines for costs estimates.
While the numbers might not represent the final cost, Superintendent Dr. Paul Green noted, a significant portion of the funding would be coming from state sources. This “once in a lifetime” funding offer, he said, was one of the few benefits to come out of the pandemic and funding opportunities opened as a result of how the virus changed educational access.
“If we’re going to do it, the time is now,” Green said, otherwise the move will cost local taxpayers more down the road when it becomes inevitable. And trends seem to indicate that it will be inevitable.
Green pointed out that school populations have been declining steadily across eastern Kentucky, to match a declining state population. The numbers seen in schools mirror the trends seen in census numbers.
“The general population is dropping,” Lyons added.
After hearing further comments from the public, the committee moved to accept the Department of Education’s comments on the facilities plan. They continued to take questions from the crowd, however, instead of moving directly into the public forum.
Green addressed concerns about larger class sizes and increased student anonymity, noting that the ratio of students to teachers would stay the same, and that he didn’t expect any increase in most classroom sizes. What he said he would expect is that the system could offer more programs. Instead of two algebra teachers, for instance – one for each school – one of those teachers could teach a calculus or trigonometry class, or a higher level of algebra, giving students more options.
He pointed out that the district would have time to work all these issues out, as well, as any new facility wouldn’t open its doors for another four or five years.
Parents weren’t all convinced, however, with one expressing concern that those who have special needs would be especially prone to “falling between the cracks” in a larger school.
“If you increase the volume of students, it’s going to happen,” she said.
Lyons emphasized that the point of a new facility, though, was to give all students increased access to programs where they could build on their personal interests and strengths for future success.
The intent of a single campus high school, with a technical center, was to provide more opportunities for all students, he said, “to offer our kids more career paths.”
Dr. Green emphasized again that decisions haven’t been made yet, and this is just a plan that is being considered.
“Steps have to occur… before a decision is made,” he said, and these meetings with the public to gauge interest and support are one of those steps.
He added that the district would have a final number on the cost, based on a location, before they acted as well. What they do know now is how much in funding they have available from state sources.
The committee then moved to adjourn their meeting, and to move directly into the public hearing on the possibility of consolidation.
Opinions on the potential move were mixed.
Amanda Gee, who spoke in favor of consolidation, said she saw consolidation as a way to improve education opportunities, but also as a way to help unify and grow the county. She said a consolidated school could offer not only greater educational opportunities, but more opportunities for inclusivity. Rather than more kids falling through the cracks, she said, inclusivity programs could make sure fewer do.
Gee also countered one of the regular criticisms she hears of the consolidation, that it will kill the sense of community in Grayson and Olive Hill – where the schools are the heart.
“Schools aren’t the heart of the community,” she said. “People are.”
A second proponent pointed out that in addition to more academic and career programs, the combined school district could offer more extracurricular opportunities of all kinds.
“I support consolidation because I truly believe together, we’ll be better,” the parent – who identified herself as Jessica – said.
Grayson city councilman Troy Combs said he was still ambivalent on the project, but optimistic about the opportunities it could bring.
“If this gets approved, our students will have opportunities (for more technical education),” Combs said, reading down the list of possible programs. “I see this as an opportunity to help our area.”
A critic of the consolidation, however, pointed to Lewis and Greenup Counties, which have consolidated high schools, and lose their students to smaller districts like Raceland, Russell, and East and West Carter.
Bill Lewis voiced concerns, echoed by others, about the impact of long bus rides on children. But if it’s inevitable, he said, he would like to see staggered start times and additional staff that allows high school students to go directly to their schools uninterrupted by stops for middle school and elementary age students.
JoAnne Kidwell echoed Lewis’ concerns. The West Carter Middle School teacher said they surveyed students at the middle school and nearly half are on the bus for half an hour or more each way, with 18 percent of those students on the bus for 45 minutes or more each way.
“Consolidated schools might allow us to shed a utility bill or two,” she said, but it doesn’t necessarily improve life and opportunities for students.
Eva Tackett added her concerns about the anonymity of a big school, and how that loss of individuality can lead to children not feeling valued, which can lead to addiction problems.
Nicholas Barker seemed to speak directly to Gee’s statements when he said that the pillar stones the community is built on are “schools and churches.”
“Our cities need their high schools,” Barker said. “Schools are not buildings,” he said, they are communities.
And those communities do better when kept small, he added.
“The human being is not built to recognize 1300 faces, to know 1300 names,” Barker said. But in smaller schools, they don’t have that problem.
Barker said everyone could agree on the need for a new career and technical center, and that the focus for any new building project should be on that.
Sports, of course, came into the picture as well. Those opposed to consolidation discussed the positive impact of sports and friendly rivalry, while those in favor of consolidation noted that academics should be the focus of schools, not sports. Others in favor of consolidation pointed out that a bigger school could mean more diversity in the athletics programs offered – such as swimming – offering more students more opportunities to play and be involved. But not everyone was convinced by that.
“What we have now, I don’t want to see taken away,” Julie Perry, the final speaker of the evening, said of the sports programs. “Think of the kids who don’t have parents here to talk,” she added, noting that when their parents don’t notice their problems, the teachers and coaches in a small sports program do.
That, she said, is what she worries about losing.
Contact the writer at editor@cartercountytimes.com
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