Community input sessions are scheduled throughout February to get the public’s take on moving sixth and ninth grades, or the shift to a middle-school concept.
The first meeting is 6:30 p.m. Monday in the Nebo Elementary multipurpose room.
The sessions stem from a timeline proposed by Superintendent Ira Trollinger during January’s Board of Education meeting.
Trollinger presented an aggressive timeline that highlighted the things that would have to happen in order to move ninth-graders to the high school and free up space at both junior highs for sixth-graders.
During his presentation, Trollinger noted that his 18-month timeline could only be achieved if things went exactly as planned.
So far, things are kicking off without a hitch, since the first item on the timeline is public input sessions at each elementary school.
“What we want to do is visit each community in McDowell County, represented by the eight elementary schools,” said Trollinger.
Each session will give parents and community members a chance to voice their opinions and make suggestions about the moves.
“At each input session, we’ll take a few minutes and review what the feasibility study says and what the possibilities are, then we want to listen to the community and answer any questions they might have,” stated Trollinger.
The feasibility committee was created in August 2011 to review the key needs and possible solutions to the school system’s building and grade-level configurations.
In November, that committee presented its findings to members of the board. Those findings will be compressed and distributed so that those in attendance at each meeting will have a better idea as to what options were considered during the study.
Along with the information packet, those in attendance will also receive a short survey asking what their thoughts are about the move and whether they have any objections to such a move.
“We’ll use these surveys to get general input to see what people are thinking,” said Trollinger.
Board of Education members hope that individuals from McDowell attend in their communities and give board members a better understanding as to what they want.
“We hope people will come on out and speak up,” stated Trollinger. “The board needs input from all eight areas of the county.”
Once the final input session is over on Feb. 28, board members will then meet and discuss issues and concerns community members have voiced during the sessions.
Input sessions will be held on:
-Monday, Feb. 6 at Nebo Elementary in the multipurpose room at 6:30 p.m.
-Tuesday, Feb. 7 at Marion Elementary in the gymnasium at 7 p.m.
-Thursday, Feb. 9 at Eastfield Global Magnet in the auditorium at 5:30 p.m.
-Thursday, Feb. 16 at North Cove Elementary in the multi-purpose room at 7 p.m.
-Tuesday, Feb. 21 at Glenwood in the auditorium at 6 p.m.
-Thursday, Feb. 23 at West Marion in the gymnasium at 6:45 p.m.
-Monday, Feb. 27 at Pleasant Gardens in the multipurpose room at 6 p.m.
-Tuesday, Feb. 28 at Old Fort in the auditorium at 6:30 p.m.
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