By Michelle James
Fayette County Schools Superintendent Chris Perkins knows how important the idea of “community” schools are to many county residents.
Opponents of the $49 million Oct. 24 bond call, designed to generate funds to complete several improvement projects and consolidate Oak Hill, Fayetteville, Mount Hope and Midland Trail high schools, are pushing hard to defeat the bond and keep their schools close to home.
Perkins, however, says passing the bond would be the best thing for what he considers to be the most important community.
“I have to view all of Fayette County as our community,” he said. “I understand it’s a sensitive matter, but I have to talk about the county as a whole as the community, and this project benefits the entire county.”
Perkins says he has heard all the concerns regarding consolidation, but says the majority of the arguments raised are flawed.
Among the concerns of opponents is that consolidating into a 21st century, high-tech facility designed to further challenge students will leave at-risk kids behind.
Perkins says the new school would do just the opposite.
“In addition to the advanced classes, we’ll be able to offer courses to address the needs of the at-risk kids who may be struggling and in need of support classes,” he said. “(Support classes) are (currently) only done in schools where you can provide more than the basics and we’re limited right now in our ability to do that. The kids in our smaller schools deserve the same opportunities, but that’s problematic because of the limited course offerings.”
Perkins says consolidating the four schools would ease staffing issues, making both support classes as well as advanced courses more accessible.
Although they are not part of the consolidation, both Valley and Meadow Bridge high schools would receive upgrades and renovations should the bond pass.
Additionally, Perkins says those schools would receive curriculum upgrades through the consolidation since the new school would free up staff members who could then be placed at Valley and Meadow Bridge.
Another concern among opponents is lengthy bus rides. Some say students would be on the school bus for up to three hours per day.
Perkins, however, says that is misinformation.
“Ninety-seven percent of the students will be on the bus 60 minutes or less,” he said, adding that percentage meets the state recommended time.
Perkins added the new school would be less than 4 miles from the existing Oak Hill and Fayetteville high schools and less than 11 miles from Mount Hope and Midland Trail.
Extracurricular opportunities have also been mentioned as a concern. Opponents of the consolidation fear that not as many students would have an opportunity to compete in athletics because of increased competition.
Perkins, however, says more sports would be offered at the new school, and because of an increased student body, junior varsity as well as freshman teams would be added, meaning more students would have opportunities to participate.
Also, Perkins says, the new school would have a dramatic increase in the number of clubs available to students.
Should Fayette County voters pass the bond, the county’ would receive nearly $22 million in funding from the state School Building Authority.
“When we presented our project to the SBA, of the 33 projects, our project rated second-highest of all based on the impact it would have moving the school system forward,” Perkins said.
Perkins said it does not make sense for a county with fewer than 7,000 students to operate six high schools, a number that is second only to Kanawha County.
In consolidating the four schools, several of the county’s oldest schools would and classes would be moved into the existing high schools.
That move, Perkins says, would allow the county to save tremendous amount of money that would be spent on much-needed infrastructure upgrades.
“We can’t continue to ignore the fact that we have the opportunity to really move the system forward,” he said. “But by continuing to manage 21 buildings, it becomes problematic. Putting new paint and tile on a building doesn’t change the infrastructure. It’s still 80 years old.”
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Although attempts to consolidate schools in the past have failed, Geoff Heater, chairman of Citizens for Quality Education, says he is hopeful this time will be different.
“We aren’t educating our children effectively right now and we’re not providing equitable nor are we providing quality education across the county,” said Heater, a father of two middle school students.
“I think that people understand that times are different. The feeling I get is that there is a definite support for this out there. People are realizing we’ve waited too long to do this and this is the time.”
Cindy Beeson, whose son is a fifth-grader at Nuttall Middle School, hopes Heater is right.
“I had a lady tell me one time that one of the best things we can offer our kids is an advantage, and that’s what I think consolidation will offer to our kids ... a better advantage,” she said.
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For more information, visit www.fayetteschool board.com.
— E-mail: mjames@register-herald.com
