High Schools are being affected by LRFP

Are the high schools being addressed in the Pitt County Schools Long Range Facility Plan (LRFP)?
The elimination of the K-8 configuration model is what concerns most people about the LRFP. The model is being destroyed in an effort to solve under enrollment at other schools. And, in the citizen effort to save the K-8 schools, the plans for the high schools have essentially gone unnoticed.
There are high schools, contrary to what some may think, that are being addressed in the plan. Unfortunately, school officials are not volunteering any detailed information. You have to read the LRFP, or what I call the Pitt County Student Assignment/Reassignment Plan, to pick out some of the specifics.
Only two high schools were mentioned in the first phase of the $55 million funding.
The first is D.H. Conley High School which is receiving $6.7 million for general remodeling and renvoation. Note the capacity in the report on Page 70 (See LRFP at http://www.pitt.k12.nc.us/). Conley’s capacity will rise from 1,386 to 1,428 students. The 42-student jump is a three percent increase in capacity.
Farmville Central High School will receive about $4 million for 12 classrooms, an auxiliary gym, two vocational classrooms, and general remodeling and renvoation. Farmville’s capacity will increase from 780 to 1,020 students. The 240-student increase represents nearly a 31 percent rise in capacity.
School officials have said on several occasions they want to “grow” their smaller high schools. Thus, Farmville Central is the first school to see a significant increase in capacity.
The LRFP’s student reassignment component is aligned to the PCS’s project recommendations. If plans go as expected student reassignment could occur in the years 2010 and 2011.
From the LRFP, on page 74, “The schools that could be affected by student reassignment are listed beside each of the recommended building projects.” Since we’re talking only high schools here, page 74 indicates that the D.H. Conley attendance area is not affected by reassignment. On the other hand the report says, “Farmville Central High School—Farmville Central High School, South Central High School, J. H. Rose High School”. This leads me to believe that some students in the South Central High School and J.H. Rose High School attendance areas will be reassigned to Farmville Central.
That’s the first phase of the county’s plan to “grow” their smaller high schools. The question is what areas will be bused to Farmville? How long will the bus rides be?
So, if anyone thinks high schools are not being if this plan goes into effect, they should think again!

Coming
Next: The second phase with high schools.