July 10, 2003
By LINDA IRVINE
lcirvine@yahoo.com
Construction on Sharon Elementary, delayed by excessive rainfall since October, will be completed by Sept. 16 the Forsyth County Board of Education learned from Facilities Director Robert Sewell at its June 26 board meeting.
Board members approved an alternate plan for housing students districted to Sharon until its opening which was presented by Jane Fuqua, associate superintendent of operations, at the meeting.
The alternate plan for the system's newest school projects Oct. 7 as the opening date. It affects students from the feeder schools of Daves Creek Elementary, Big Creek Elementary and Settles Bridge Elementary which depend on Sharon to alleviate crowded conditions at the schools.
Fuqua praised the leadership at the three schools and the system's department heads who participated in preparing the alternate plan. She said it was a total team effort that made it all possible.
Superintendent Paula Gault said, in a letter addressed to parents of students districted to Sharon Elementary, "We have had to deal with this in the past and we have a good, well thought out plan "B.' "
|
| 
advertisement |
The plan calls for Big Creek students to remain on-site until Sharon opens. Settles Bridge students will remain at Settles Bridge along with Sharon students who attended Daves Creek last year.
Students entering the system for the first time will attend either Big Creek or Settles Bridge depending on their address Fuqua said.
All kindergarten, first and second grade Sharon students are to be housed inside Big Creek and Settles Bridge schools.
Students in the upper grades will be housed in portable learning units on the two campuses.
According to Fuqua, Settles Bridge did not have trailers on campus, so two were leased for the short term.
The temporary housing situation for the Sharon students is not expected to compromise their academic atmosphere.
According to Gault's letter, children will receive all special classes (art, music, special education resource, etc.) in addition to the core subjects while at these school sites.
"We are working out all the details so all students will have a smooth transition," she said.
One of the details ironed out by the system has to do with bus transportation.
Sharon students will have separate bus transportation while they attend classes at the two campuses, Fuqua said.
Once Sharon opens, bus drivers will continue to pick up the same routes with only a change in the school delivery and pick up site.
Principals Dr. Tom Davis at Big Creek and Gary Davison at Settles Bridge are doing their utmost to ensure the comfort and well-being of the students while they are on campus, Fuqua added.
She said, "Assistant principals from Sharon will be located at each of the campuses along with a small support staff to service the students."
Dr. Janet Reid, principal, and the rest of her staff will begin readying the school for opening the day construction is finished. Teachers will move in on Oct. 6, which is a staff development day.
Sewell noted that during that time furniture along with other materials for the classrooms would be delivered to the school.
He said his staff will be onsite to make sure the punch list is complete and all loose ends are tied up.
The Open House for the system's elementary schools is scheduled for Aug. 7 from 4 to 6 p.m. Gault said Open House for Sharon parents will be at the campus where their child begins the school year.
In its effort to keep Sharon parents fully informed, system officials have scheduled an orientation meeting for all Sharon parents in the sanctuary at First Redeemer Church, located on Ga. 141, on July 22 at 7 p.m. Parents will have the opportunity to ask questions after a presentation of all contingency plans.
Sharon is the system's first two-story elementary school and a prototype for elementary schools that will follow.
Sewell explained that construction had been hampered by rain delays and the failure of a land purchase deal on another piece of property.
"Our general contractors, Cooper and Company, have had only 11 months to work on this prototype. They've been great to work with and are doing an excellent job faced with the weather conditions they've had to deal with.
"They've worked six day weeks and 12 hour days to make up for lost time. I've even seen workers laying bricks when rain was pouring down," he said.
When completed Sharon will satisfy the state-mandated class size specifications with a capacity suited for 1,112 kindergarten through fifth grade students.
In its first year of operation the projected student enrollment is 933. During the second year, the enrollment is projected to reach 1,041.
|
