News-Record.com

This is just ridiculous. First we were told that we had to hussle and purchase that building before it was bought out from under us, then the air conditioner had to be replaced, then the roof and now mold... The whole idea was to make the population of Smith smaller while offering small academy to some kids.. neither is happening.

I also heard that only 30 kids were enrolled at the end of the year at Central Cooking Acadmey. The entire Tomilson building housed the 9th grade academy... I believe we spent $7 mil on that, then the cooking.. was that $3 Mil.. so we crowded all the 9th graders back into the main building and let 30 kids have Tomilson.

Is the BOE paying attention!!

Who's running the Facilities Department now that Kevin Lear and David Burnett have resigned? Is anyone now? Was anyone before? With this responsibility being so poorly managed, it is no wonder that it costs so much more in this county to build schools. Also, what is Terry Grier doing about facilities and construction? I never hear his name mentioned in connection with them. Is the board managing projects now?

I didn't realize that Dave Burnett had quit. Perhaps they got tired of working for an organization that didn't seem to know anything about construction projects, or perhaps they are embarressed at how bad things have gone.

Donna Bell, director of facilities planning, Julius Monk, director of construction, Dennis Cole, bond program director, and Joe Hill are in charge. Joe Hill said Terry Grier wants to have a new chief operations officer named by the end of the month, which would likely put his/her starting date in September.

I asked David Burnett about his leaving and he said he was going to with Moseley Architects as a Senior Associate where he would get an increase in responsibility, pay and benefits. So in this case, this was a move up. Kevin Lear also told me his move to Georgia would give him a lot of responsibility and he would be closer to his family. Jennifer and I knew Lear wouldn't be with GCS for long, but were surprised about Burnett.

Kevin was not treated right. If Terry had asked him to stay, he would have. Some members of the Board unfairly criticized him in public and Terry did not come to his defense. The system would have been better off, if they had had a heart-to-heart talk and moved on. In reality, there was no talk and we will get a rookie at the very time we need experience. Dave saw the job for what it was, no appreciation, no support, and the BOE slowing everything down. The BOE does not have a clue on how to manage large construction contracts. It may have to get worse before it gets better. The Board of County Commissioners knows what is going on. That is one reason they put the bond issue off. Hoping by that time we will get some leadership on the subject.

This is off the subject, but I have just been informed by someone who spoke with the office at Southwest High that SMOD will be starting this fall; a letter is to be mailed to the students on Tuesday. There had been mention by the N&R that a decison would be reached by the end of June; late as usual for GCS. I have a daughter at Central as well, which will be starting SMOD at the same time. What infuriates me in addtion to the hassle of buying more clothes (my children are already sent to school dressed appropriately), the thought process that this will solve the academic/discipline issues (which GSC already has stated that data from Dudley is inconclusive at best), is the continued treatment of High Point high schools differently than the rest of the county. With Andrew going to SMOD in the Fall as well, all three high Point schools will have this dress code; what about Greensboro? As usual, what is happens in High Point (choice plans, last minute redistricting maps, etc.) stays in High Point. This is not a Guilford County School system; it is a High Point rules (are you listening Dot "High Point is different" Kearns) and Greensboro rules fiasco. From the GCS mission statement one of their main gaols is equality, yet our schools in High Point continue to be treated in ways inconsistent with the rest of the county. How can GCS fix this? Simple, require ALL high schools to go to SMOD immediately (if a high school the size of SW can be notified this late in the summer, without the parent consultation that took place at Dudley last year) then Grimsley, Page, Northwest, Western, etc. all can be notifed as well for the fall; then we can be one big, happy, uniform clad high school family, and all our problems will be solved b/c everyone will now be dressed alike. I see test scores climbing to new heights, discipline a non issue, and a pigs flying majestically over my head.

Joe,

"Hoping by that time we will get some leadership on the subject."

Doesn't Terry Grier as Superintendent have the primary responsibility for providing leadership in the district? Read the job description. Why do we have a consultant running the Facilities Department and managing school projects, when it costs significantly more to build a school in this county? Whose in charge? Shouldn't the leadership be provided by the big guy making the big bucks? He is invisible on these projects, but Real Truth says he is doing a great job!

Joe,

Maybe Terry thought Kevin was doing a poor job too.

Who in the heck would want that job, having 12 bosses, the superintendent and 11 board members, trying to satisfy all the politics and deal with subcontractors who may not be competent but just go the job because of their political contacts or only because they were a minority and did not have to bid on a job. Then after all that you have to answer for all that goes wrong in a public meeting.

The Smith Academy is still a big snaffoo. Who's to blame for that blunder? No sufficient homework was done in on acquiring that site.

The school board's job in not to manage construction but someone should be able to find someone who is at least partly competent to handle these projects. Why doesn't each job have a project manager with time charts and cost updates.

Why was research not done before hand about the water situation for building the Southeast cafeteria? Does anyone in that department do their homework?

The article was good as far as it went. There are still more problems which have not come to light, ie. issues with wet carpet - which contains asbestos - they are tring not to replace the carpet due to those issues.

There is still mold in the basement and the air-conditioners are USED! I overheard someone say they may exceed the weight max for the roof holding it.

Will we ever truly know how much over budget the project is or that the building is actually safe and healthy for students to be in?

If I purchased a house which was represented to me as "sound" and then found all the problems the Smith Academy building has - I'd be suing whoever sold it to me -- and FAST!

I guess as long as Terry Greer gets it opened that's all that matters... whatever the cost!