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| Speakers react to proposal to consolidate two schools |
About 140 people attended a public hearing Monday on a proposal to consolidate Irisburg and Axton elementary schools next school year. Irisburg would be closed to save funds. (Bulletin photo) |
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
By PAUL COLLINS - Bulletin Staff Writer
Six people spoke at a public hearing Monday night on a proposal to consolidate Axton and Irisburg elementary schools and close the Irisburg site, effective July 1.
More than 140 people attended the public hearing by the Henry County School Board at Axton Elementary School.
Michael Scott of Axton, who has two children attending Irisburg Elementary School, said teachers and parents do not want consolidation to occur. It would result in students not getting the attention they need from teachers and would result in longer bus rides, which would “traumatize” students, he said.
He added that he fears his daughter would no longer continue to be an honor roll student if the schools are consolidated.
The school division should look at other options, Scott said. For example, he said, he believes teachers would be willing to take a little pay cut, and everyone’s salary in the school division should be looked at, starting from the top and working down, he said.
The audience applauded after Scott’s remarks.
Neoma Moyer of Axton has grandchildren at Irisburg Elementary, and she graduated from the school. She said she “would hate” to see the school close, and she asked if school division has considered consolidating Campbell Court and Stanleytown elementary schools or John Redd Smith Elementary and Collinsville Primary.
“It’s not fair to teachers. It’s not fair to students. It’s not fair to the community,” she said of the proposal to consolidate Irisburg and Axton.
Irisburg Elementary parent Brenda Moxley, of Axton, said for personal reasons she would hate to see the school closed, but even more, she is concerned that people would lose their jobs.
However, school division officials have said that consolidating Irisburg and Elementary would prevent the division from losing even more positions.
Joe Neal of Axton, who has a daughter at Axton Elementary, said he went to consolidated schools in Winston-Salem, N.C., and he thinks school consolidation can result in students receiving less attention from teachers in school. He said he fears that when students grow up, more of them will go to prison because they received inadequate attention in school, among other reasons.
The first speakers at the hearing were two of the five Irisburg fifth-graders who wrote a letter to Schools Superintendent Anthony Jackson. The two students took turns reading portions of the letter, which said: “We do not want our school to be abandoned when we leave. We believe it could become a wonderful retirement home for senior citizens in this area.”
“Advantages of this building are: It is in good condition. Classrooms are large enough to be divided into two rooms. Rooms have television and computer hook-ups. Doors are wide enough for wheelchairs. The cafeteria has a large kitchen, plenty of space for tables, and storage closets,” the letter said.
It continued: “The gym has a stage, storage closets, and room for dancing or athletic events. The library could become a cozy area with books, games, cards, and crafts. An office with an intercom is already in place. Smaller rooms in the building could become nurses’ stations or storage areas. There is parking in front of the building.”
“These are our ideas for making Irisburg School a place where grandparents would like to live: a fireplace in the library, a smoking room, a music room, an exercise room, a playroom for children who visit, a play area outside where residents could watch children play, a walking track for residents and visitors, an Alumni Day every year for former Irisburg students,” the letter stated.
“We would like our school to always be a happy place,” stated the letter, which was signed by Savanna Holland, Khalil Littlejohn, Elijah Doss, Brianna Jenkins and Briana Mullins.
After the public hearing, Savanna Holland, daughter of Shelby Holland of Axton, said she doesn’t want the school to close. “My little sister is going there. Some teachers are new, and they shouldn’t lose their jobs,” Savanna said.
After the hearing, Iriswood District school board member Curtis Millner Sr. said he thinks the majority of the people at the public hearing oppose the proposal, but “deep down they know it’s inevitable.” He said he has received about four calls and a couple e-mails from people, all opposed to the proposal.
Millner said he believes a consolidated school would have significantly larger class sizes but still within state guidelines.
“I’m considering it (the proposal) very hard. I have not reached a decision,” he said. “I’ll probably be against (it). One vote probably won’t make a difference,” he said, adding that he thinks the school board will approve the proposal.
At-large school board member Joe DeVault said he appreciated the number of people who attended the public hearing, understands their concerns and knows that it’s traumatic when a school is closed.
“In a perfect world, we wouldn’t want to close schools,” he said, but he added that in the current budget crisis the school division faces, the division has to make hard choices.
“We’re looking at every possible option” for making budget cuts, he said. Other options include personnel cuts, larger classes and curtailing capital improvement plans, he said.
DeVault said he wants to see some additional information before he makes a decision on the proposal.
On Jan. 27, Schools Superintendent Anthony Jackson proposed consolidating Irisburg and Axton elementary schools, the closure of Irisburg and the closure of the school division’s South Martinsville site. The net annual savings from the proposal was projected at $761,043.71 for the first six years, Jackson said. After that, $132,500 in annual debt service would be paid off and the annual savings would rise to $893,543.21 ($828,227.71 by closing Irisburg and $65,316 by closing South Martinsville).
School officials have said that a consolidation of the Irisburg and Axton would result in a staff reduction of 13 positions divisionwide.
About 15 more positions divisionwide would lost through cuts and attrition if Irisburg and Axton elementary schools are not consolidated and the South Martinsville site not closed, according to budget scenarios that Jackson presented at the school board meeting Feb. 4.
The school board is set to discuss the proposal March 4. |
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