This week’s question: “Which would you prefer to see built first – a new Murphy High School, or a combined pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade school merging Martins Creek Elementary, Murphy Elementary, Murphy Middle and Peachtree Elementary schools?”
- Murphy High needs replacing first, as it’s Cherokee County’s oldest school building.
- The new proposed school is needed first to save money by closing other campuses.
- Neither of these projects should be done anytime soon, as taxpayers cannot afford it.
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“I think we should invest in the high schools. Since I’ve been here a year, it kind of seems like the high schools have been coming close to being closed, maybe for renovations.”
Catherine Hale
Martins Creek
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“I would really like Tri-County Early College to have a recreational facility for students. They run in the field behind the school, and parents have to drive students to other areas for activities or use an activity bus to get them anywhere. I’m sure Murphy High School needs upgrading, and Martins Creek is full and crammed with youngsters and I know they need upgrading, too.
“I think you’ve got to take the collective money and build something nice and share, which would be the combined school. The resources just aren’t there to dole out little, we’re too small. We need it all to be combined, buy something decent and everyone can share it.”
Angela Henningfeld, Hot House
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“It should be combined because it just brings everybody together. There are all different kinds of children, and I think just interacting with everybody would be great. If I had a child in school, I’d want a combined school to share resources.”
Catherine Vanhouten, Hiwassee Dam
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“I get the whole thing of putting all the kids together but, to be honest, I think fix the high school. That’s where it mostly matters. They’re getting ready to go into the real world, and if you spend the money on them in their last years, it’s good.
“Make their environment more expansive, neater, cleaner and with state-of-the-art technology. Give them a good reason not to drop out. Give them a reason to feel good about going to school and proud of where they are.”
Debra Sanders, Murphy
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“If the economics penciled out in terms of managing it, I’d go for the larger facility. I think it’s happened and managed well in a neighboring county that’s proven itself to be viable. I think they’ve been able to build a better overall system having that concentrated at one location.
“With different schools you have the economics of it, managing, facilities and administrations. Bigger schools give you an opportunity to consolidate your budgeting process, and get different services and things in a campus-like facility.”
James Milam, Murphy