News-Record.com

Then again, it may not. The list is unacceptable and each taxpayer in Guilford County should make thier views known. We should not be forced to vote NO on bonds just because the BOE cannot come up with a list that focuses on core needs. The list will not work for the following reasons:

(1) The amount of $594,199,722 is too much and we cannot afford this amount of effort. This represents about 5 years of building effort. We shold go for three years effort or about $300 million.

(2) The inflation values used bear no resembelance to rality. It has been over 20 years since we have seen inflation at the rates included in the list. The BOE should not be allowed to have this enormous slush fund to make up for other mistakes and to fund projects thru the back-door.

(3) The Ragsdale HS improvements should not be on this bond. It cannot take place untill a new Jamestwon MS is built and the children transferred. It will be about 4 years for this to happen. It looks silly to have it as the #2 project on the list.

(4) All of the sports improvements should be removed and funded with local budgeted funds. This was put in to buy votes. It makes no sense to relieve crowding a few times a year at football stadiums when we have children crowed every day that they go to school in the halls, cafeterias, etc.

(5) To go back to Dudley with major rennovations to what little has not been rennovated while Southeast, Alamance, Summerfield and other schools have not had a first round is short-sighted to say the least.

(6) The money for "Land Banking" should be deleted. I am in favor of advance purchase of land needed for schools that will be needed but are presently unfunded. "Land Bank" sounds too much like "Piggy Bank".

As it stands, this is a xmas treet. If it is not scaled down, it will be defeated and BOE will be responsible.

Joe,
where did you find a list of projects?
I agree inflation of 1% a month is ludicous.

I agree Dudley should not be high on the list after 31 Million in renovations. But I also know that things are cut to fit a project's monetary scope. For instance at Northern High we value engineered out a scoreboard and sound system for the football field. That will be interesting to try to raise funds.

I also don't think Central needs the large amount that was once bandied around, was it $29M for renovations? How much have we spent there in the last 5 years?

Put the money into classroom space first.

The list was passed out several meetings ago. I can't find it on the web site. This list is not their finest work, I can understand why it has limited circulation.

Deborah-

Check your email. I sent you the list. Beware.. it may make you angry!

Joe,

What is your logic that improvements should not be made at Ragsdale? I thought the school was overcrowded? Also this school was bumped from the bond list before so why should it not be a top priority? Smith Academy was not even on the last bond ref. Promises were made to the Ragsdale/Jamestown Middle parents and student. These promises were not fulfilled because of cost overruns on other projects and adding projects not on the bond ref.

I strongly disagree with you on sports facilities being put on local budgets. All schools attend all games at all county schools. They should all have adequate facilities. Some of our schools have no tennis courts, no lighting, fields that need repaired. Northwest is a maze to find parking during games. It is not safe. Every school at least should have the basics to conduct sports events for county students.

Dudley should get nothing this go round. They had a 35 mil renovation already. After hearing all the public speakers, we need to look at the Southest end of town.

Priority- you are correct. Ragsdale needs to be a priority on the list as does Jamestown Middle and the Southeast Schools. We should not give schools that have already received money and improvements any more money, until the other schools that are in desperate need of capital improvements get the money they need. As for the funds that were supposed to go to Ragsdale and Jamestown Middle from the 2003 bond, but didn't... that should NEVER happen. There needs to be an "accountability plan" in place where the funds are put into seperate accounts for each school. And if there is a cost overrun, then the BOE would have to go to the County COmmissioners and explain the overrun and ask for the additional funds. We should not rob Peter to pay Paul. Unfortunately we do it all too often and the money from the last referendum is a good example of that. Can you believe... almost 4 years after the bond passed in 2003, Pleasant Garden Elementary School still hasn't seen one shovel of dirt turned for the improvements there? Sad, sad situation. Actually .. there's NO EXCUSE.

Whether you say Ragsdale is urgent or not, nothing will happen at Ragsdale untill the new Jamestown Middle School is built and the children move in. It is a little hard to explain how Ragsdale can be number two priority when nothing will happen for about 4 years. Let me be clear, Jamestown Middle is a good No. 1 priority. What is unnecessary is this great concourse in glass they have planned for Ragsdale. Everyone else gets out in the weather once and a while. Why can't these students. After, the students leave Jamestown Middle, Ragsdale can function without major renovations. Originally, they estimated renovations at 4 million. Now it is 30 million. How many new seats do you gain? Zero. Ragsdale should be at the top of the list for the next bond issue.

Cindy Lou Who,

I love the "Accountability Plan" for separate accounts. I hope you will e-mail this plan to the BOE and the County Commissioners. Above all, bond funds should never be used for any program that was not voted on in the bond ref. If new programs are added that are not on the bond ref, other means of funding need to be sought.

Joe,

If you take a ride down the Guilford College Road corridor there is massive building going up on the east side of the corridor. All of these houses are in the Ragsdale district. Also there are many new apartments and condos coming that have recently been build on Hilltop Road. Also as the SWH district grows some of the corridor may be redistricted to Ragsdale which is their closest school.

I would have to see the plans for the concourse. In my opinion, no students should have to be exposed to the elements while going to specials in trailers or the cafeteria or gym. At the very least, all our open campus schools should have covered walkways. This is currently not the case, but I hope it will be a priority goal.

I stand firm on athletic facilities updates. It would be selfish do deny atheletic facilities to schools that have little as every student in Guilford County gets to use them for away games. Also we have some superb atheletes in our schools. Many have won at state and even national levels. What image does this say about our schools when recruiters come to Guilford County looking for top athletes. On a positive note, they might say that in spite of not having a swimming pool or tennis courts at their school, or lighting or a crappy field, these athletes overcame these conditions; they are determined no matter what so would make an excellent recruit. If our schools are going to provide athletics which are also a carrot for many struggling students to maintain their academics, then we should have adequate facilities.

I read comments in the N & R today that Amos had doubts people in Greensboro would vote for bonds because only 1 out of 4 schools in Greensboro were on the list. To me, that is extremely selfish and political. We are supposed to be GUILFORD COUNTY SCHOOLS. Many people who in High Point voted last time for the bonds because they realized the NW area had long been neglected. Why is it when High Point finally gets something Greensboro will not support it?

Of course, Deena didn't vote for the last bond ref and has threatened this time not to vote if the minority contracts don't go her way. So this is nothing new.

Both of these board members sound more political than caring about ALL the children in Guilford County. Didn't they take an oath to represent all children in Guilford County not just Greensboro? not just black children?

Now for trying to get bond votes from North High Point, that is another story altogether.

One thing I would have to agree with Skippy on the BOE needs an alternate plan such as Certificates of Participation. One way or the other, the schools will get build. The question is how will they be funded Bonds? or overall tax increase?

So where do the school age, low functioning autistic kids stand? They kicked us out of Gateway. Now even the younger autistic kids are getting kicked out of Gateway. I guess if Gateway's administration doesn't want our kids, we should be happy to be outta there.

There is no room for our kids in Special Ed West.

It takes $13 million to make McIver appropriate for performing arts students but,apparently, it is seen as just fine the way it is for our kids. Once it is renovated, they will kick us out of there.

They are going to study building a brand new school on the Craven site for 2-5 year old autistics (a plan I applaud) but they will have no room for school age kids.

Apparently, they are going to scatter us to four mini-centers around the county but have nothing in the bond proposal to pay for any of that.

Expressions of concern are nice, but actual dollars to help serve our kids would be nicer.

Joe,

Don't forget that the 2003 bond money for Ragsdale was to pay for the first phase of renovations at the school, with plans to finish the work in later bonds.

Ragsdale will not be crowded after the Middle School moves away. Some renovations need to be made. Keeping people out of the rain is a noble cause. Generally, we start with smaller children first and then work up.

What they have in mind for Ragsdale is not covered walkways but a great multi-million dollar concourse worthy of a Mariott hotel. We have nothing like this in the system and we don't need it now. I give priority to new seats and new core facilities where it takes 3 1/2 hours to serve lunch. All I use is common sense.

Ragsdale should not be on the bond for 30 million. It want be spent to 2012. By that time, we will have had another bond issue. When you take all the children at Ragsdale and spread them across two buildings, two cafeterias, etc. You will find the mobiles gone and a much improved school.

Moving ahead with Ragsdale before Southeast makes no sense whatsoever. Ragsdale can wait a few years.

The idea last night that people will not vote for the bond issue unless sports upgrades are included is actually bazaar. If there is anything I don't like for BOE members to look down their nose at rand and file citizens and announce they are selfish and cannot be trusted to do the right thing. I am not against improvement of sports facilities, what I am against is spending money on them when others have no where to sit for lunch. Let's us first things first.

As Jennifer stated the 2003 bond money was to pay for initial renovations. Many will disagree with you, Joe, because Ragsdale was bumped the first go round. Smith Academy was built and other schools had cost overruns. Did you disagree with the Ragsdale renovation plan prior to the 2003 bond?

I too agree we need core facility and classroom space. The problem is the needs are vast. The county is growing; our schools are too old and have been neglected for way to long. They are deteriorating. Some buildings could even be improved slightly by painting the interiors.

This county can't build and renovate fast enough to keep up. 17 years to build the first school in this county, i.e., Pilot Elementary in 1996 is absolutely ridiculous. Where else in this country does it take 17 years to realize your schools are deteriorating and you need to rebuild?

We could discuss this all day. In the end, the BOE will do the list they can agree on.

Any building needs to be done where growth is and not put extra seats in landlocked schools to provide social engineering (i.e. Andrews). This should never be done again. Anita told them list prior to 1999 and no one listed.

correction: "no one listened"

From my blog today...

So Amos Quick doesn’t like the proposed GCS school bond boondoggle because the package doesn’t represent many Greensboro interests. Deena doesn’t like them because she fears minority contractors will not be fairly represented. How about someone stepping up and expressing their dissatisfaction because it opens the door to more waste at Central Office, where much of the existing waste and mismanagement is taking place now? Skip is right…this Board had better start looking at Plan B now, because Plan A is going to be DOA in the fall with the voters.

Take that to the bank.

Please be advised of the context of my comments.

A comment was made earlier in the meeting that when looking at passing a bond package, you should address geographic concerns. I was referring to that comment when I said if you buy into that line of thinking then Greensboro would have a problem with this as so many problems within the city would go unaddressed. Please also know that I am not 100 percent in support of a bond package being on the ballot in the fall of 2007 and stated this at the retreat and at at least 2 other public meetings..

As for representing ALL the children of this county, I am very proud of my record of doing just that and have nothing to be ashamed of. I also firmly believe that I should spend time addressing the specific needs of African American children as their plight in our school system requires specific consideration at times. When we improve their condition, we improve GCS; not at the exclusion of any other group, but with deliberate attention.

Once again, I invite any of you to contact me at (336) 235-0345 or (336) 987-7269. I believe in working toward resolution of problems and not just complaining about them, and I welcome your comments and suggestions.

Mr. Quick: Thank you again for your ongoing leadership and dedication to our children.

But understand for a long time, many have suggested concrete changes to real problems in our schools and those complaints and suggestions continue to fall on deaf ears. And when it continuously happens, citizens and parents begin to complain.

I hold pages and pages of documented problems at Kiser Middle School, and there is an intervention team on location there. I've been documenting some of these problems in my website blog. I'm receiving complaints of students assaulting teachers at Page, I've documented this on by blog this week.

These are real problems and require real solutions.

I'd love for you and I to get together over coffee so we can have a dialogue on these and other issues.

E.C.

Amos,

Thanks for taking the time to post here.

I would like to have your thoughts on arranging elementary and middle school children in groups according to their abilities. For example, in middle school, Stong AL students are grouped together for Math and Language Arts, but not for the other classes.

Amos:

The context of your comment (which was as you note above) was perfectly clear at the time you made it. Other interpretations of your comments simply make no sense. There is nothing inconsistent with representing the interests of Greensboro children as well as all of the childen inthe county.

What in the name of Jerry Brightonhammer was that all about?
I dont' know but it doesn't make sense to me.