On 3 April Northwood High School’s Site Based Committee held a meeting to discuss concerns of teachers, students and parents about the environment there. Invited were members of the Board of Education (BOEd) and three of us were able to attend.
The major concerns were safety, class size and space. Nothing new to some readers but growing concerns now shared by certain members of the BOEd.
Pittsboro, NC - Facility concerns of Northwood High School as reported in last week’s edition of the Chatham News and Record were fairly reported last week. What is somewhat ludicrous was the spin doctor’s comments attributed to the spokesperson for the school’s central office.
That POD (a unit comprised of several trailers joined to provide classroom spaces) was approved for purchase by the Board of Education last summer. It was supposed to have been occupied by the start of the school year in August but, because of one excuse after another, wasn’t until January of this year.
Interested crowd of spectators and contributors which added dimension to the meeting.
Major points covered were a suggestion Chatham County abolish paddling as discipline, a presentation refining Board suggestions for some improvements to Northwood and adoption of the proposed budget to be presented to the Chatham County Commissioners.
Questions were raised about the security and financing priorities of the budgeted items at some schools. It was agreed that next year the process will start earlier and the School Improvement Teams will have an opportunity to direct comments and proposals directly to the Board of Education. The screening process will be opened to the Board directly for its review and perhaps realignment of priorities.