By Allison McNeill
Carrboro Commons Writer

In Fall 2008, some Carrboro elementary students will find themselves at a different elementary school than they previously attended. Multiple factors contribute to the recent construction of new elementary schools across the Chapel Hill-Carrboro school district.

Karen Aldridge, school social worker at Frank Porter Graham Elementary, says, “Smaller classes lead to improved learning for everyone.” The Chapel Hill-Carrboro school board is preparing to decide what site will be the future home of Elementary School 11.
Staff photo by Allison McNeill

Morris Grove Elementary, the district’s 10th elementary school, located on Eubanks Road, is opening this fall, and discussions for Elementary School 11 are already in the works.

The Chapel Hill-Carrboro Board of Education is “looking at considerations” for possible locations for Elementary School 11, school board Chairwoman Pam Hemminger said.

A long-range facilities committee was formed to discuss Elementary School 11, including possible locations. The committee is “composed of members from different political entities that govern” throughout the school district, Hemminger said.

School board Vice Chairwoman Lisa Stuckey said the committee has been meeting for several months. Its last meeting has been held, but a final report has not yet been written, she said.

The School/County Collaboration Work Group outlined specific qualifications for a site in a 2007 draft of school construction standards. The specifications for elementary schools include that sites must have 16 acres of land, that the land must be flat enough to build on and that it must be within the water and sewer boundaries, Stuckey said.

These requirements represent a traditional school, one that is on a site that allows for future building expansion, outdoor play areas, full athletic facilities and on-site parking, according to the S/CCWG proposal.

A non-traditional school deviates from these requirements. According to the S/CCWG proposal, a non-traditional school offers flexibility for various local conditions, including the availability, or lack thereof, of land

Stuckey said that there are elementary schools in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro school district that have been built on less land because they are in the non-traditional category.

“Sites are getting really hard to find in Chapel Hill,” she said.

The largest obstacle the planning committee has faced is finding a “buildable” piece of land that is large enough, yet still within the boundaries of the school district, Stuckey said.

Although the official site possibilities have not been presented, Stuckey said that most of the sites are on the northern edge of the district.

Growth in the community and a reduction in class sizes have prompted the need for elementary schools in the district, Stuckey said.

There is “continued growth in our district, with more people moving here with young children,” she said.

According to the S/CCWG, classes in grades K-3 must have an average of 21 students.

In regards to this newly imposed rule, Stuckey said, “The current school buildings have the same number of rooms, but fewer children in them.”

The board agreed that, with the opening of Morris Grove Elementary, they would begin reducing class sizes.

When a new school is opened, the board must redistrict to make sure that all schools are equal and have enough students, Stuckey said.

“Even if Elementary School 11 pulls more kids from the northern part of the district, it will still have an impact on the district as a whole,” she said.

About 20 to 25 percent of the district’s students between kindergarten and third grade will be moved to another school.

After the report from the planning committee has been presented to the school board, there will be an open session for questions from the public. At the following meeting, a site will be chosen.

The public can attend the meetings and can call or e-mail their opinions and comments on which site should be the future home of Elementary School 11, Stuckey said.