Follow-Up from September 23, 2008 Board Meeting

Listed below are issues that were raised during the September 23, 2008 Board Meeting that required some additional information and/or follow-up. 

1.  Please address the safety concerns at the track at Central High. 

Maintenance has looked at the track and confirmed it is in poor condition.  It has cracked places and grass growing up through the track.  That has been the status of the track for several years now.  This track is on the 2008 Bond. We will review the proposed schedule for this work and expedite if possible.

2.  There are noise problems in the multipurpose room at Parkview Elementary.  How can this be corrected?

Facilities will be contracting with an Architect/Engineer to research and provide recommendations for a solution.

3.  Provide a schedule of last year’s capital outlay and project ordinance budget, expenditures and amount left over.

See attached spreadsheet – This schedule includes the 2007-08 regular capital outlay.  The only project ordinance included is the one approved for district-wide renovations.  The Capital Improvement Plan project ordinances are not included in this schedule.

2007-08 information is reflected in columns E-H as follows:

Column E reflects 2007-08 budget @ 6-30-08
Column F reflects 2007-08 expenditures @ 6-30-08
Column G reflects 2007-08 encumbrances @ 6-30-08
Column H reflects 2007-08 balance @ 6-30-08
             
Given that some of our regular capital outlay work is scheduled for summer months when students are not in attendance, we also provided information regarding July-September capital outlay activity in column J-L as follows:

Column J reflects 2008-09 expenditures @ 9-30-08
Column K reflects 2008-09 encumbrances @ 9-30-08
Column L reflects 2008-09 balance @ 9-30-08

4.  Quad for Early College for Guilford – Who have we talked with and what is the agreement?  We need to have further discussion or negotiation. 

Per information provided during Board Meeting of 9/23/08, the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between The Guilford County Board of Education and Guilford College concerning The Early College at Guilford for the July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2010 contains the following provisions/terms in section 4. Facilities:

“The parties will make good faith efforts to make classroom facilities available for use by the School on or before August 9, 2005 (first year addressed by MOU).”

“Classroom facilities may include modular classroom facilities owned by GCBOE. GCBOE will pay all costs associated with the operation and maintenance of such modular facilities.”

Guilford College administration advised GCS that spaces previously available to The Early College at Guilford (i.e., Bauman Telecommunications Center) were no longer going to be available due to increased student enrollment at Guilford College.

5.  Does Claxton need a quad or three singles?  We need to look at a long term solution to their growth situation.

Claxton ES historical enrollment

2006/07 20th Day       2007/08 20th Day       2008/09 20th Day
610                                626                                681

School capacity = 502 (built)
                        + 11 mobile units on site for 08/09 (2 quads and 3 single units)
                        = 722 total capacity for 2008/09

Total utilization for 2008/09 = 94%

Staff observed a marked increase in enrollment at Claxton Elementary between 2007/08 and 2008/09, from 626 students to 681 students, respectively. This school campus is quite constrained at 9.9 AC, so the placement of any units on the site is limited. Given the availability of single units that could be moved for the 2008/09 school year, staff decided that a total of 3 units could be moved onto the Claxton Elementary campus in such a way as to preserve existing play areas and provide needed classroom space. In coordinating with the principal, staff determined that the existing 3-5 play area could be relocated to the west/southwest side of the campus (it would have had to be moved regardless of the number or type of units to be installed) and that the existing soccer goals and playfield could continue to be used after the installation.

Staff will begin an analysis of longer term population trends at Claxton, in order to anticipate capacity needs and provide the Board with options available in order to address this need, if necessary.

6.  Update on roof repairs at Aycock Middle, McIver Education Center and Archer Elementary.

McIver – replaced gutters on B building. 
Aycock – Greensboro roofing is in the process of replacing flashing on wall. 
Archer – we replaced expansion joint. 

7.  Investigate traffic issues at Sedgefield and Foust Elementary Schools during drop off and pick up times.

Sedgefield - Our intentions are to address the parking, stacking and other concerns with the installation of the mobile classrooms. 
Foust – we are working on a plan to address the traffic issues.

8.  Who gets band uniforms this year? 

Our 2007-08 regular capital outlay budget included $120,000 for replacing band uniforms at Western and Dudley high schools; purchasing band uniforms for Northern High School and replacing band instruments at various schools. The rotation schedule for replacing band uniforms at our remaining high schools has been revised as follows as of January 2008:

• Page HS                                      2008-09
• Grimsley HS                               2009-10
• Southeast HS                             2010-11
• High Point Central HS              2011-12
• Northwest HS                             2012-13
• Southwest HS                            2013-14
• Northeast HS                              2014-15
• Ragsdale HS                              2015-16
• Southern HS                               2016-17
• Andrews HS                                2017-18
• Smith HS                                     2018-19
• Eastern HS                                  2019-20
  

9.  Consider re-doing the band schedule to get better pricing.

Given favorable quotes received in 2007-08 when purchasing band uniforms for three high schools (Dudley, Northern and Western) versus the customary practice of purchasing one such set of uniforms per fiscal year, we will explore potential cost savings of the recommendation to order 2 sets of uniforms every other fiscal year and to, in turn, purchase band/orchestra instruments in the years between band uniform purchases. Additional feedback/follow-up will be provided when cost analysis is complete.

10.  How much are band boosters being called upon to assist with replacement of uniforms?

The funding rubric for replacing band uniforms is as follows:

1. one-third of the total cost is paid from the district’s regular capital outlay funds;
2. one-third is paid from each respective school’s annual capital outlay allocation; and
3. one-third is paid by each respective school’s band boosters and/or community vendors/resources.
   

11.  Do we buy used instruments?

Our efforts to explore potential cost savings of purchasing used band/orchestra instruments will include, but not be limited to, contacting other NC school districts to determine if any are currently exercising this option; contacting the NC Department of Administration – Division of Purchase and Contract to request their advice/counsel on purchasing used versus new instruments as well as any listing of vendors from their data base that provide new and/or used musical instruments; and contacting local retailers of new and/or used musical instruments. Additional feedback/follow-up will be provided when cost analysis is complete.

12.  What percentage of the schools have band and/or orchestra?

All high schools and most middle schools have band.  Half, or 50%, of the high schools and 30% of middle schools have orchestra.  Band and orchestra personnel positions are provided by special allotments through Human Resources.

13.  Can we figure out how to meet this need with a private foundation?

Staff suggests that we do some type of assessment to determine what the need is before identifying a possible funding stream/option or advocating for such. We do not know what that assessment will be but if we are going to seek outside funding, we need to be able to clearly and definitively articulate the need and how the need was established. We need facts and figures to substantiate the need/request for assistance. We also need a long-range plan to address the need on a continuing basis.  Staff will do this assessment.

14.  Look at amount for band uniforms and instruments  – this amount is not enough to do much.

Staff will consult other districts to determine how the need for band uniforms/instruments is assessed within those districts and how much funding currently exists to address those needs and the source(s) of that funding. Recall that we are also exploring the possibility of increasing the purchasing power of our existing level of funding by researching the potential cost savings of the recommendation to order two sets of uniforms every other fiscal year and to, in turn, purchase band/orchestra instruments in the years between band uniform purchases as well as the possibility of purchasing used instruments.  

15.  Investigate the low lighting in the auditorium at Andrews High as well as the poor carpet.

Lighting in the auditorium was re-lamped the 1st of August.  We will continue to review the carpet for replacement priority in the 2009-10 capital budget.

16.  Sumner Elementary has a leaky roof; is it under warranty?

The portion of roof being referred to is not under warranty.  Our roofing department will be addressing the issues with this roof within the next two weeks.