Orange County NC Website
16 <br /> 1 Slide #14 <br /> RECOMMENDATION (OPTION D) <br /> • Enhanced teaching and learning environments <br /> • advances educational outcomes and opportunities <br /> • improved school utilization <br /> • provides flexible spaces for multiple learning styles <br /> • Updated classroom spaces and learning tools meet modern <br /> education standards <br /> • Right-sized portfolio creates operational efficiencies <br /> • Investing in community attracts and retains residents <br /> 2 W <br /> 3 Commissioner Richards asked if any assumptions were made for preschool <br /> 4 accommodations. <br /> 5 David Sturtz said they did not make any strategic change for preschools. He said that <br /> 6 would mean that the early childhood center is planned in capital needs. He said if they plan to <br /> 7 spread and push-in, it will increase the utilization of elementary schools 5%-10%. He said that <br /> 8 some specific schools are overutilized and some are underutilized. <br /> 9 Rob Olson said that until the state is at a funding standpoint for preschool children, the <br /> 10 Board would want to account for the cost of providing preschool. <br /> 11 Chair Bedford said new school construction indicates that there will be two new preschool <br /> 12 classrooms in each school. <br /> 13 David Sturtz said it is accounted for in the budget of renovated and replaced schools. He <br /> 14 said that the budget is projected by taking the latest construction and the gross square footage is <br /> 15 multiplied by the estimated construction cost. <br /> 16 Commissioner McKee said some Orange County schools are at capacity and some are <br /> 17 above. He said that would call for some redistricting, but asked if they recommend building the <br /> 18 school first before redistricting. <br /> 19 David Sturtz said the context of his comment was about the longevity of redistricting. He <br /> 20 said when you build a new elementary school, boundaries have to be adjusted because it adds a <br /> 21 new zone. He said so rather than redistricting twice, if they are able to do construction first, then <br /> 22 it would just be once. He said some schools have extra capacity, but it is not evenly geographically <br /> 23 spread so it would make transportation changes necessary and likely impossible. <br /> 24 Commissioner McKee asked if it would be a new school or replacing a school. <br /> 25 David Sturtz said they are recommending one new school for the western part of the <br /> 26 county. <br /> 27 Commissioner McKee said that unless the student population increases significantly, then <br /> 28 they are serving the same number of students in three schools and one is still undercapacity, and <br /> 29 maybe two. <br /> 30 David Sturtz said if he could recommend building a new school within the next three years <br /> 31 and plan the boundaries of that school before it comes online, then it should be a solution that <br /> 32 should not have to be revisited. <br /> 33 Chair Bedford asked if there would be a school taken offline. <br />