School officials plan to meet with the county Board of Commissioners on Thursday to discuss the proposal. The county board will need to approve the project before school officials can proceed.
The plan calls for a $3 million addition to the Wagram school to house the students at Shaw Primary School. East Laurinburg Alternative School will then be moved to the Shaw campus and the East Laurinburg campus will be closed.
The plan is a reversal of a school project in 2000 that moved Wagram's fourth and fifth graders to Shaw to reduce the student body from 600 to 400.
The 2000 plan was a response to the growing need for trailers at a school that was overcrowded. It was also meant to reduce maintenance and energy costs associated with trailers.
Roger Ammons, director of plant operations and maintenance for the school system, said the project had unintended consequences.
"Data has proven that the additional transition from third to fourth grade has a negative impact on students' academic success," Ammons said.
School board member Dr. Calvin Newton said he remembers the 2000 decision that moved the fourth and fifth graders to Shaw.
"I was there when we decided to move the fourth and fifth graders over to Shaw," Newton said.
He said there was a major issue with overcrowding at Wagram Primary – there were 600 students in a building meant for 450.
"I thought that was a better option than forming a new school," Netwon said.
His parental experiences have since changed his mind.
"I had two kids go through [Shaw], and after I had two kids go through it, I decided it was not a good idea," Newton said. "Fourth grade was kind of a shock ... We have never been able to overcome that change."
State data seems to reflect under-performance at Shaw.
Shaw Primary had either the lowest or second lowest number of students to pass end-of-grade test scores among fourth and fifth graders in Scotland County in 2008, according to figures released by the N.C. Department of Public Instruction.
For fourth grade, 40.4 passed the reading test and 54.5 percent passed the math test. This is compared to 51.4 passing in the district and 59.2 passing in the state for reading, and 71.7 passing in the district and 72.8 passing in math for the state.
For fifth grade, 33.3 passed the reading test and 41.0 percent passed the math test. This is compared to 46.3 passing in the district and 55.6 passing in the state for reading, and 61 passing in the district and 69.6 passing in math for the state.
The only school to perform more poorly than Shaw was North Laurinburg. Fourth graders passed the reading EOG at a 33.3 percent rate and math at a 55.6% rate; fifth graders passed reading at a rate of 27.7 and math at a rate of 40.4.
The 2009 scores have not yet been released.
According to Ammons, the alternative school would be better suited at the Shaw campus.
The Shaw school building currently has a media center, cafeteria, gymnasium and technology building – facilities lacking at the East Laurinburg facility.
Ammons said that closing the East Laurinburg facility would also save around $100,000 a year in energy and maintenance costs. He referred to the building as the system's "least energy efficient."
The system would also save an estimated $8,000 a year in costs that had been associated with four trailers at Wagram Primary.
Several people discussed other possible savings, such as reduced administrative and busing costs, but no data had been collected on those costs.
County approval
Newton says the idea had been developed for awhile, but the school board had to wait on an appropriate source of funding before it could approve the plan.
"We have to get the approval of the county because they are responsible for paying it back," Newton said. "They have to sign off on this thing or we can't do it."
The $3 million initiative will be funded by zero interest loans from the Qualified School Construction Bonds Program, which is part of the Federal Stimulus Plan. The deadline for the loan application is July 31.
Approximately $275 million has been appropriated with North Carolina, with the state guaranteeing $1.5 million to the county. Ammons hopes the county can receive $3 million if other counties do not use their funds. Otherwise, the construction will be done in stages.
The funds can only be used for building, renovating or making additions to schools.
Newton said paying off the bond would not be difficult.
"We can use lottery money and we have 12 years to pay it," Newton said. "We can use a third of the lottery money each year and have that note paid off."
New Superintendent Rick Stout has also endorsed the project.
"I think it is a great opportunity any time we can get a zero interest loan," Stout said.
The school and county boards will meet Thursday night at 6 p.m. at the county complex.
The school system will give a presentation on the project and county board members will decide whether or not they support the proposal.
County Commissioner Guy McCook, who was present at the Monday night school board meeting, said it's too early for him to comment .
"I think the concern the commissioners will have, is how do we go about repaying those funds," McCook said. "If we can find a dedicated revenue stream that is something we can count on ... I think that is something we could decide on."
Board Chairman J.D. Willis said his main concern was funding.
"During these economic times, we will have to look at the costs associated with the project, how the funds will be repaid," Willis said. "There has to be a plan laid out for the repayment of this $3 million. And the county is not in a position, financially, to take on any additional debt. If the county had to pay for this project, we would have to have an increase in taxes."
Willis said that with the state sending less money down, the county could have to shoulder the costs if less lottery money is awarded.
"One thing that we must keep in mind, we are still paying $1.8 million to retire the school bonds that were issued several years ago to build the new schools," Willis said.
Willis was referring to a number of schools that were built earlier this decade, including Spring Hill Middle School and Laurel Hill Elementary School.
"Also, we have to keep in mind that if we have a decrease in local sales taxes, then the county is going to have to pick up the payments for the local schools," Willis said. "When you look at it from a commissioner's standpoint, there are capital needs that we have got to address."
He added that emergency services, parks and recreation and the extension office were all in need of their own expansions.
"The county has capital needs for heat and air conditioner replacement, roof replacement, ambulance purchases and others," Willis said. "To sum it up, I would say that we as the board of commissioners will have to take all capital needs into consideration, along with the schools' capital needs."
Willis said tax revenues could not support the strain of the $3 million project.
"When you start looking at property tax reductions or increases, you have got to take into consideration your tax base," Willis said. "Our tax base is not increasing much because we have not brought in any large increases. When you add that to the county, then you could possibly be adding additional tax increases to the citizens of Scotland County. When you add new projects, someone has got to pay for them ... Lets keep in mind one thing – we know that we are going to lose additional funds in DSS and other programs next year. We just don't know how much."
Willis also addressed the county's contributions to the school system.
"Next year, the schools' current expense budget is going to increase between $600,000 and $800,000," Willis said. "All of these programs are going to have to be funded by someone. The school board members were very, very kind and generous in not taking their full appropriation this year and we as commissioners are very, very thankful because by them not doing that, they helped the commissioners keep the tax rate at $1.02. But again, next year, the school board will not be in a position to be as generous. We can not afford a tax increase in Scotland County."
Commissioner John Alford was supportive of the initiative as it involved closing the East Laurinburg campus.
"I am glad that they are finally closing East Laurinburg," Alford said. "It is long overdo."
He noted that there would be many savings over time.
Alford felt the commission could get behind the program.
"I like the idea," Alford said." I think, working together we can accomplish it ... [It] is something I can support."
He also said he looks forward to the county and school system working together.
"I do look forward to working with the school board in resolving issues," Alford said. "I think the time is right for us to come together. We are in the 21st Century and it is time we moved forward."
Smaller learning communities
Newton says the poor performance at the small schools and the desire to consolidate does not discredit the idea of smaller learning communities; instead, it is a reflection of the difficulty of an additional transition between schools for elementary-aged children.
"We talked about the sixth grade slump when they go to middle school," Newton said. "We always see a little bit of slump ... They level out by seventh grade, but you always see a little bit of a curve. Right now, we are seeing this in fourth."
Newton also addressed concerns that North Laurinburg is performing more poorly than Shaw.
He said the issues are different. Wagram has an easy fix by eliminating the additional transition. The issues at North Laurinburg, however, are not.
"If you look closely at the population at each school ... [North Laurinburg has] the most challenged students," Newton said.
He explained that they had the highest percentage of students receiving free and reduced lunches and largest portion of children that show the warning signs of being troubled students.
He said the system and the school are addressing these shortcomings.
"They've made a lot of progress over the past couple of years," Newton said.
East Laurinburg
Not everyone is happy with the idea to close the East Laurinburg campus.
Randy Miller, mayor of East Laurinburg, says the school should do something with the building.
"I think it needs to be in use," Miller said.
He wondered if Richmond Community College could use the campus.
"Why can't [RCC] use that for something technical to complete their education?" Miller asked.
Marshall Stevens, mayor pro tem, agreed with Miller.
"I hate that they are doing this," Stevens said. "We are losing the kids and everything over there. I enjoy having them [in East Laurinburg]."
Stevens said the staff will be missed the most.
"All the people over there are really nice," Stevens said. "The principal is the one I'm going to miss the most."
The East Laurinburg commissioner said Principal John Teal has been involved in the town of 300 and has opened up the school for community use.
School system spokesman Andy Cagle said the project may be a blow to the town of East Laurinburg but will greatly benefit the alternative school.
"In the East Laurinburg community, it's been a staple," Cagle said. "But we have to look at what's best for the program. From an energy and a teaching standpoint, it's a win-win situation."
One East Laurinburg resident, speaking under condition of anonymity, said they were happy to see the school leave because of concerns over the kinds of student the school attracts.
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