By Brian Mitchell, Guest Columnist
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The Cherokee County Board of Education has presented another school reorganization plan to the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners calling for the consolidation of Murphy Middle, Murphy Elementary, Peachtree Elementary and Martins Creek schools into a single kindergarten-8 facility located in an undesignated location.
The plan is the latest of several plans discussed in the last few years by the school board, and the second plan presented to the board of commissioners.
The latest plan consolidates nearly all of the Murphy district schools, directly affects nearly 1,200 students and is claimed to cost an estimated $42 million. It has enormous consequences for Cherokee County Schools, but provides no evidence that it improves the students’ education. It should be replaced by one that does.
Schools Superintendent Keevin Woody requested approval of the K-8 plan, advocating its cost savings and potential success in receiving a N.C. state facility grant. He made no mention of specific cost savings, school site selection and cost, nor how the plan would improve the education of the students in the Murphy district.
On the other hand, a new Murphy High School deserves to be given priority. It is the largest high school in the county, one of the oldest buildings and the high school with the oldest renovations, occurring when I was serving on the school board in 1998.
A new Murphy High at the site of the Schools of Innovation in Peachtree – with new science and language labs, a new vocational facility and dual enrollment at Tri-County Community
College – would surely offer a much-improved education to its students. It would provide the resources that creates a career-ready school, and provides many more opportunities for students in the trades. There was commissioner support for making this new school a priority at a meeting.
The first plan earlier presented to the commissioners called for a grade 6-12 construction, including a new Murphy High. The latest plan removed this new high school from consideration.
A member of the school board said it would cost too much at an estimated price of $50 million, although no evidence has been presented to verify that claim. I question that statement, as a new Murphy High student size would be less than half the size of the K-8 school claiming to cost $42 million, there would be no additional costs of land at the site of the School of Innovation, its football stadium likely would remain in Murphy and cafeteria services would already be available at the School of Innovation.
No specific information was given regarding a long-term plan for the district, phases in the plan and priority for implementation of the phases. No information was given regarding future state facility grants, the future of school operational finances or possible future county financial support. There should be more information on many important parts of the plan.
Woody said a feasibility study regarding these and other questions would cost too much and delay its implementation. Yet the school board must comply with state law that requires “a thorough study of such school to be made, having in mind primarily the welfare of the students to be affected by a proposed consolidation. ... the local board of education shall provide for a public hearing in regard to such a proposed consolidation” (G.S. 115C-72).
I believe the present school board effort is short-sighted and ill-timed. The proposed plan needs a state-mandated study and public input, without which the best education we provide our students would be threatened. The commissioners of our county should insist on this requirement before giving their approval.
I believe an alternative plan of two phases should be considered in the feasibility study and by the public in an open meeting. The first phase: constructing a new Murphy High at the site of the School of Innovation. The second phase: developing a K-8 consolidation plan.
The mission of Cherokee County Schools is “for every student to graduate from high school and to be globally competitive for work, post secondary education, and prepared for life in the 21st century.” In order for that mission to be accomplished, the board of education and superintendent must develop detailed plans, share those plans with the commissioners, generate public support through open communication and correctly follow all protocol outlined in state statutes.
The writer is a resident of Murphy, retired physician and former member of the Cherokee County Board of Education.