The vote for the 2008 school bonds is quickly approaching, so we sat down with Leo Bobadilla, chief operations officer, to help answer some of your questions about school bonds, how they are used and school construction needs. Don’t forget to vote on May 6, 2008.

GCS: Can you tell us a little bit about the bonds?
LB:     Guilford County residents will have an opportunity to vote on $457 million in school construction bonds on May 6. The bond package contains $203 million for new schools, $220 million for renovations and additions and approximately $34 million for special needs facilities. 

GCS: Why Are Funds For School Construction Needed?
LB:     To meet overcrowding needs that exist today, continued growth in our school district and to address aging facilities. Since 2000, the district has grown by more than 9,000 students to a current enrollment of 71,396 students. We need to build new schools to accommodate this growth explosion and repair our older schools. The $457 million bond proposal, which includes inflation, represents only a portion of our urgent construction needs. The bond amount represents approximately half of the immediate needs identified in September 2006 in the amount of $812 million.

GCS: How Were The Projects Chosen?
LB:     GCS staff used a formula to rank school building and renovation projects in order of need. The Guilford County Board of Education used the calculation as a starting point to prioritize $457 million in new school construction and renovation projects. This issue was on the board agenda at more than 20 meetings for discussion before the final bond list of projects was decided and approved.

To view the entire project list, visit: http://www.gcsnc.com/construction.

GCS: Which schools will be affected with this bond?
LB:     The bond package contains 27 projects, which include five new schools and more than 6,500 new student seats. Thirteen schools will receive major renovations and additions. New facilities are planned for special needs students. Twenty-one schools will receive improvements to heating and cooling systems.  Various schools will also receive improvements to athletic facilities. 
            

GCS: I don’t have children. Why should I be concerned about new school projects and renovations?
LB:     Quality schools and graduating responsible citizens prepared to succeed in higher education or the career of their choice are critical to everyone in our community. Housing values are determined primarily by the quality of local public schools. Good schools provide a well-educated workforce to attract and retain companies to the area, have a direct impact on increasing volunteerism and strengthening our community and allow us to attract new families who provide the vitality and energy for our future.

GCS: Why is spending money on athletic facilities necessary?
LB:     Our school needs are both inside the school and outside. We are required to offer physical education as part of the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. We want our students to have athletic facilities that are safe and usable. In addition, with the rise in childhood obesity over the last decade, our physical education and athletic facilities have become increasingly important to our children’s welfare.

GCS: If the bonds pass, what would the economic impact be on the local economy?
LB:      According to a recent study by Dr. Andrew Brod from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, the economic impact of this bond would generate $657 million and create thousands of jobs. Dr. Brod has also stated that “When you think of the economy, projects like this are jobs programs. You are not just making work but you are building something…it’s building schools.”  In the current economic state of things, these school projects will not only benefit our students, but the entire community as well.