LINDA PAYNE

A group of parents and students gathered Thursday at Hibriten High School to solidify their support for a new middle school in Lenoir.

Although many of the same questions and concerns that were addressed during the previous forum were once again raised, additional questions concerning energy costs, plans for the old building and the involvement of local officials also were addressed,.

Those in attendance said the 15-minute presentation by Dr. Jeff Church, assistant superintendent of auxiliary services, and Superintendent Dr. Steve Stone scratched the surface on many of the concerns, but they also wanted to leave knowing that action was being taken to move the project forward.

County Commissioner Don Barrier said there have been meetings with the architect, Steve Walker, to create plans that will meet the needs of 750-900 middle-school students in the 21st century. He also said that while he could not speak for all of the commissioners, he wanted the community to know that the goal is to fully support education in Caldwell County.

"Our role in this process to sit back and listen to you, the community," said Commissioner Ron Beane. "These forums have been very enlightening to me because I think it is very important and significant to have the community involved."

"We just need to look at the overall picture - such as start up costs and the total project cost - to make sure we make the best decision possible for this county as a whole," Commissioner Rob Bratcher added.

So what exactly is standing in the way of building a state-of-the-art facility near Hibriten High School? Here are some of the questions being addressed.

How did the school board decide on a location for a new middle school, and why did they pick that area?

In October 2003, the Caldwell County School Board purchased 60 acres of land for $720,000 next door to the property of Hibriten High School will the sole intention of building a new middle school in the future. That area was selected because a review of the current district lines show that this property is in the middle of the current district. Stone said that would be beneficial not only to reduce transportation costs, it also would allow the new middle school to share resources with the nearby high school. This piece of land, Stone added, makes it possible for there to be several ways to gain access or leave the school.

The plan is to have the main entrance on Taylorsville Road near Moose Lodge and Evans Funeral Home. Additionally, entrances will be available on Panther Trail and the current main entrance to Hibriten High School.



Who will be attending the new school once built?

The same areas of town that are designated to attend WLMS now will be the ones attending the new school. Stone said that students who are enrolled at Oak Hill, Kings Creek and Happy Valley schools with have the opportunity, if they choose, to attend the new middle school. Stone said CCS has no intention of closing any of the K-8 schools.

What will happen to the current facility once everything is moved out?

Stone said he is 100-percent committed to maintaining a school in that community. He said he isn't sure if it will be an elementary school or what its exact use will be, but he said that building is a solid structure and can easily accommodate approximately 500 students. He wanted the community to fully understand that he has no intentions of moving out of that community. In fact, he said he is working with the architect to see about modifying the current entrance and exit point to make it safer for students and parents.

What is this going to cost and how exactly does the school board plan on funding it?

Stone said the system is prepared to pay for this project at no burden to the citizens of Caldwell County. He said that by law, the county must take out the loan, but it is going to be paid for by state-mandated funds, such as sales tax revenues, lottery funds and the ADM money awarded by the state. In addition to those state funds, the school system has more than $7.7 million in its fund balance. Stone said this money cannot be used for anything other than capital projects and school construction, which is why this project will not require the county to raise taxes.

What happens next?

Stone said the goal is to present a formal plan to the commissioners in March, which will include a finalized plan and the bottom-line figures, to gain approval. If approved, the goal would be to begin construction in the summer so the school would be ready to open in Fall 2011.

If the commissioners initially say "no" or say they need more time, Stone and the board said they plan on representing the plan as often as possible.

What can the community do to help a 10-year dream become reality?

School board members urged the community to stay involved in the process and to not let the idea fall to the back burner again. They said attending the forums is a great start, but they also encouraged parents to talk with county officials either one-on-one or at their meetings to show their support for this project. The next public forum will be Tuesday, Dec. 1 at 6 p.m. at Hibriten High School. This meeting will be geared toward students in the K-8 schools, but anyone can attend.