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As you said this is a replacement school for a very outdated school. Not sure what will become of the old building, but if the past is an indication there will be some magnet school or something done with the old school. The area is not the greatest for noise level-- not matter what the airport authority tells you. I have a friend that lived in that area and said the planes were very loud. This location is just off Stage Coach, not far from the new Jefferson school. Growth is extremely fast there do to apartments and condos around guilford college!

While I recognize the apparent need for this school and it was included in the bond referendum, please don't forget that the greatest number of trailers in this county exists at Florence Elementary School.

The greatest growth in this county is in North High Point. There are no new schools planned there.

Has Florence not received any money for either bond? I know that Summerfield/Laughlin didn't get any money either. Granted the new Northern Elem will help overcrowding in this area once it is built.(06; maybe 07) Seems to me (correct me, please if this is wrong) that once the NW elementary school(on Pleasant Ridge Rd) is built that many of the students from Colfax will be going there, which in turn frees up room at Colfax.. Doesn't Florence attendance lines butt up to the Colfax line on the HP side? It could be some of the overcrowding would be relieved through that plan. Why doesn't anyone from that school speak out at board meetings? I have learned that you get nothing if you don't ask/scream/plead/beg. Even then as most HP parents will say; you don't always get what you want!

Debora,

Thanks for your response. I believe that you are right with the Colfax attendance lines and Florence. Hopefully this will relieve some of the overcrowding - but I fear not enough.

Our astute board representative, Susan Mendenhall, told me herself that there would be no new schools built in North High Point. Now, if the representative of the district feels that way, why would the board, as a whole, ever consider the request of parents in the area?

You see, the board has a vendetta against the good citizens of North High Point. This is why we are closely watching the activities of the group in North Mecklenburg who are trying to break free from the CMS school system and start their own.

Jennifer/Bruce,

Sorry to steal your thunder, but I thought your readers might want to check out the dialogue going on with Doug Clark at his "Off the Record" blog.

"quest" and others are requesting that Doug or someone come forth and provide an answer to the following question:

"Can you name ONE positive academic achievement of the High Point Choice Plan?"

So far, no one can.

Make that an "occasional" experiment--I wish the chalkboard had spellcheck--anyway, where I'm from, you need permission to experiment with one's kids.

Debora,

Florence actually is on the 2003 bond. Here are details from the school system's Web site:

Florence Elementary School has an enrollment of 729. The proposed project will add 18 classrooms, 3 teacher planning/work rooms, and 3 resource rooms. In addition there will be general renovations, such as accessibility, technology, and air/heating upgrades. These improvements will increase the core capacity to 800. The project budget is $7,743,106.

The project architects are: Robbins Architecture of High point, NC.

The timeline on the work goes something like this: April 2005 bid the project; June 2005 board reviews and votes on bids; July 13, 2006 projected completion date.

Hope that helps.

Oh yeah, here is the Web site if you want to check on any other construction projects in the district:

www.guilford.k12.nc.us/construction/index.htm

I'd like to confirm what "Pooferyou" says. Several of us in "north" High Point were told BY A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER that High Point will NEVER get a NEW school until WE (the residents) FIX the problem of the empty seats at Andrews and Central.

And let me remind many of you that aren't privvy to HOW those empty seats came about--well your School Board ADDED them!

So, it's reassuring to know that HIGH POINT will NEVER get a new school until WE solve the problem created BY THE BOARD. And, how do WE go about solving the board-created problem when our opinions are not valued? I'm perplexed.

THIS is the kind of thinking that is leading our school system straight to doom.

Thanks Jennifer, I had the thought in the back of my jumbled mind that Florence was getting a much needed update-- I know how HP people think, Summerfield/Laughlin have 17 trailer between them with 1078 students. That is about 500 or so over capacity. WE couldn't even get the 1.1million to update the 1950's homeec building that is used as a media center! I have noticed that most of us (myself included) still refer to schools as the 'county' 'HP' or 'Greensbor' schools-- I still feel that the county and HP get the left overs. At least I am not alone.

Jennifer of course is correct. Florence is getting some of the bond money for an addition and HVAC upgrades. It is LONG over due. Last check Florence was 200% over capacity. The HVAC in the building rarely works. You could be freezing in the winter and kids are sweating putty balls while taking end of grade testing while sometimes walking by ceiling leaks. Last count there are at least 30 or more trailers. It has been long overdue for improvements.

A few years ago Florence got a new cafeteria and a library. That has helped some.

I don't think Florence Elem butts up to Colfax District. You are thinking of Southwest Elementary School which has an awesome facility.

Florence teachers and parents and staff make it a great school but these kids have done without for so long. They make do with what they have. When my daughter started there in 1996 we had eye tests being conducted; computer A/R tests being given; kids walking back and forth constantly all going on in one hallway at the same time while we froze everytime someone opened the outside door as we sat and helped with A/R tests as volunteeers. We did not have computers then in the classrooms. And I believe PTA bought those. We then resorted to giving A/R reading tests in a supply closet as the Fire Marshall didn't allow us to sit in the halls anymore. Don't know were the eye test have moved. But we were definitely packed liked sardines. Also my daughter didn't have textbooks a lot of times. Music and Art where done on a moving cart in the gymnasium (multi purpose room) divided by room dividers until more trailers came. Yes, you could learn to draw; learn a song and listen to basketball all at the same time! Early multitasking! Kids did not have the basics. To date, there are still rooms with broken blinds that are not safe when there is a tornado warning and we have to figure out where to put all the kids when there is a warning. There used to be a "playground" in the back with cracked concrete and torn or no basketball nets. That concrete has long been covered with trailers. Kids put on coat to go to Art, Music, to lunch; other specials. We sometimes walk through puddles and drips on rainy cold days. We have just been so conditioned that this is how it is.

So yes, Florence deserves every penney they get and then some because they have been overlooked for way too long. These kids deserve it!

Susan Menenhall's comment about no new school for North High Point is in line with the core view held by most of High Point leadership. The lack of vision hy her and Dot have forced a backwash and dirge of needed innovations to help the very neighberhoods that need it most. By trying to keep good schools from North High Point, they have stifled good solutions to the schools in centrall High Point. Smaller classes, better discipline, more parent involvement. All are lost with their tryng to stifle the North.

The population growth and the financial impact of North High Point place tremendous pressures on the school system as well as the plumbing. The city is fixing the plumbing, now if only the schools could be fixed.

Our schools have a serious case of Mendenitis, Dot Rot, and Cooke Krud, these three diseases have done more to damage our counties quality of education than anyone realizes and have set High Point back at least a decade. Who is hurt? The poor, the single family homes, those with the least voice of all.