[{"_1":2,"_97":-5,"_98":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",5978856,"mediaKeyId","5775805-a381a5744bc0e4a9b649cd1eea300ad4","parentId",5775805,"title","RiverLights site, Isaac Bear plans drawn into bond discussion; conveyance and funding questions remain","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",1919154,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5775805-a381a5744bc0e4a9b649cd1eea300ad4&start=1919&end=1919","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5775805-a381a5744bc0e4a9b649cd1eea300ad4/thumbnail_1919154.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/5978856/North-Carolina/RiverLights-site-Isaac-Bear-plans-drawn-into-bond-discussion-conveyance-and-funding-questions-remain","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5978856-24e7528bd58a5f3e987ada95255f7859/orig.mp4?Expires=1770772277&Signature=lchWkiE4IlyerSEgGS3Mdc0NmM-pT-GbaOWUJiqv0i9j4y-hHkCbRQEI~Gt8d1vTLa~iVDLZsY4O7noLuT9N8UcQnTT9yQnqPs60Jm5fNagq-zPdeQ-snz1ktWCcnPPQGDdofGBdQEwmROHHUvHGLeFJD1IqbXz9HaT11tT9c6aVdn8TItHmnrcCL3naaCgLfqWY0FGmc3NijvIksf-LbRpsTKq8oA8-2TRq7XHQFky5TzjMCArztvWXnvnY7WXE8E5XkMCABgf5GHkG1seipDGT7Lw8yG4qC0j4fSCPgtoyEe1zVukLKgmvXu8NFYBJTycCPpXpowobvyRrbl70Lg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","New Hanover County Schools","date","2025-09-18T17:51:40Z","article","Board members and staff discussed two discrete issues that affect the committee's bond list: the legal and documentary status of the RiverLights elementary site and the funding status of Isaac Bear Early College High School.

On RiverLights, staff told the board the parcel for a proposed RiverLights elementary school has been the subject of prior resolutions and that county and school officials previously worked toward a conveyance. Staff said they are reengaging the RiverLights developer and its attorney and expect to bring an updated conveyance agreement or documentation to the board; staff emphasized that while the parcel is intended for a school, the board wants a written conveyance to protect the district before committing bond dollars to a build on that site.

On Isaac Bear, speakers reported the finance committee removed Isaac Bear from the recommended bond package and formed (or tasked) an ad hoc committee to identify alternative funding. Board members said Isaac Bear is a high-value program but the land, ownership and partnership structure (including involvement by UNC Wilmington and other partners) complicate placing building costs on a district bond because the district would not necessarily own the land or building outright. Staff and board members said the ad hoc group is pursuing other funding avenues and coordination with UNCW and other stakeholders rather than including Isaac Bear as a standard bond project.

Board members asked staff to locate the 2017 resolution and any conveyance documents and to provide them in writing to board counsel. Staff said they had scheduled follow-up conversations with the RiverLights representative and the developer's attorney and that they would provide the documents to the board when obtained. On Isaac Bear, staff described the program as important and said an ad hoc committee is pursuing a funding strategy; the work session did not produce a new funding commitment or board vote on Isaac Bear during the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","NHCS Board of Ed. Work Session Meeting | Sept. 18, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Board members asked staff for written conveyance documents for the RiverLights elementary site and discussed removing Isaac Bear from the bond package while an ad hoc committee seeks alternative funding and partnership arrangements.","taxTitle","New Hanover County Schools, School Districts, North Carolina","taxId",14191,"location","North Carolina","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_46":81,"_48":82,"_50":83,"_52":84,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":85,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":86,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},5978861,"Board reviews hybrid plan for New Hanover High; phase 1 focuses on security, cafeteria and bus routing",78,2080385,2158815,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5775805-a381a5744bc0e4a9b649cd1eea300ad4&start=2080&end=2158","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5775805-a381a5744bc0e4a9b649cd1eea300ad4/thumbnail_2080385.jpg","/articles/5978861/North-Carolina/Board-reviews-hybrid-plan-for-New-Hanover-High-phase-1-focuses-on-security-cafeteria-and-bus-routing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5978861-8d928188fb3262abbe7109dce22f28ec/orig.mp4?Expires=1770772277&Signature=LuTErlSZ2ANfR74znai97ZOxOJuCHOUMmqI4H56NVj6CbK~01X8Tsz7lVn8r7w-KT8zQRxufKNEOZs215iS-Cx45lyZ8EK0HnplBeo8kMaRk-1sNXXQtcjYcYRvkzVjmEDL~eG2-kz-ueZhq28ybd2LkH1qIuNqZsiToAw4wrQ4CuYZUigeQaCFtShem001L2gny6dPviJyGtHdrFB-dTD4gx2-c9H5cWyl1RKOd7kQutFy9wmhQPh70pXEnRp~~6uPFi9d0zszNHiAbuLRiXQmo20Sy8H4euBP02KnPTkM2nkx2~Ns8VpMF21huqT9kWjL9Y~O0sdOF9oktY~WGAA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District staff walked the board through a multi-phase \"hybrid\" plan for New Hanover High School that the finance committee recommended for inclusion in the bond package. The committee previously removed a $137 million single-renovation option and instead prioritized a phased approach the committee believes can be funded within the recommended package, subject to county and board approvals.

Under the hybrid concept, phase 1 would construct a new three-story cafeteria building that also houses classrooms, relocate the auto shop, secure vestibules and courtyards to control campus access, and move the bus drop-off from Princess Street to the south side of campus tied to parking behind the tennis courts. The phase is intended to improve campus security and create new classroom and circulation space; later phases would focus on interior renovations, additional connections and further security measures.

Staff and several board members emphasized sequencing: phase 1 is intended to provide replacement space so students can remain on campus while phase 2 renovations occur. Without a new building from phase 1, renovations under phase 2 would be more disruptive because there would be fewer swing spaces to house students during construction. The finance committee discussed whether all hybrid phases should be included in the bond or whether later phases should be funded by other sources; committee members said including all phases in a single bond package could exceed county debt limits.

Board members asked whether phase 1 would increase student capacity or primarily reconfigure existing space; staff said the capacity impact depends on how quickly subsequent phases are funded and implemented and that some capacity gains would be modest without follow-on phases. Board members also discussed coordinating any large renovation program with philanthropic or county partners so that projects beyond phase 1 could move forward without pushing the district over a debt threshold.

No formal board vote on the hybrid model occurred during the work session; committee members indicated they will present a motion for board consideration at the upcoming agenda-review and October regular meeting.","District staff presented a phased, hybrid plan for New Hanover High School emphasizing perimeter security, a new cafeteria building and bus-drop reconfiguration; committee-level discussion favors a multi-phase approach with phase sequencing tied to funding availability.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":42,"_43":90,"_45":90,"_46":91,"_48":92,"_50":93,"_52":94,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":95,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":96,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},5978866,"Finance committee recommends $320.5 million school bond; board to vote in October",339725,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5775805-a381a5744bc0e4a9b649cd1eea300ad4&start=339&end=339","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5775805-a381a5744bc0e4a9b649cd1eea300ad4/thumbnail_339725.jpg","/articles/5978866/North-Carolina/Finance-committee-recommends-3205-million-school-bond-board-to-vote-in-October","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5978866-8476f68daf861cc505bec147e4931978/orig.mp4?Expires=1770772277&Signature=XQerps0d4wGSczXzoazDEeD~60LSyN-XG8OVIhu-~NWm2qkLxSfowSN6V6~n4gHSqwpnaNMwH~qDoG4N37vTfhaEWxgHkHSIAyuGeno2uIX0XV20TmdPbCl9g3fpQAhi8Bl2vLAZ54~Bflxe2kHFgRGfCpZvVuAgJ15wwmfcZEVRHGMdgSGV5oBlhfC4ThzWwrkd-s3hiIK0JVsrK8YGH8Aorgz-gBDYHIiBX6KoiiA7fekX0YSN1gqRt4WIIkyneROWJjd7rzm7pXxlAgaOt11E8WhLJzux8YrJi3KYN6NNneA1~64D819oXunxlKxC1Y3viEgCn38uQmhOD3O9kw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The finance, bond and capital committee recommended a $320,521,418 bond package to the New Hanover County Board of Education during a work session; the full board plans to vote on priorities at its first regular meeting in October. The recommendation includes an amendment adding $20 million for districtwide HVAC and other capital improvements.

The recommendation groups specific facility projects (new and replacement elementary schools, a phased plan for New Hanover High School, a new Trask Middle School concept, and an eight-classroom addition at Porter's Neck Elementary) with districtwide allocations for technology, safety improvements, program management and contingency. Committee materials list Riverlights Elementary (a new 650-student school on a 15-acre RiverLights site), a replacement Pine Valley Elementary, and a phased approach for New Hanover High among the prioritized projects.

Committee members said the $320.5 million figure reflects updated cost estimates provided to the committee earlier this week and that county staff signaled the package was within the county's capacity with some technical adjustments. The committee also added a $20 million amendment to fund HVAC and other districtwide capital maintenance over a 10-year period.

Board members and district staff framed the work session as an information and Q&A opportunity to give members not on the finance committee a chance to review the committee's analysis before the board takes a formal vote. Staff said the meeting packet contains an updated \"sample of project cost\" spreadsheet and attachments that show which projects the committee recommended and which projects remain on the larger master list.

Discussion highlights included district enrollment and capacity figures, and how new construction or additions would affect long-term consolidation possibilities. District staff reported most schools are not severely under capacity: four schools were identified as below about 70 percent utilization at the tenth-day enrollment count, middle schools averaged about 90 percent capacity, and high schools about 97 percent, according to the presentation. Staff cautioned those figures do not include potential mobile-classroom capacity and urged members to visit campuses before setting final priorities.

Next steps identified at the work session: board members will review the finance committee packet and pose follow-up questions to staff; the board will consider a motion at the next agenda-review meeting to place the committee recommendation on the October regular meeting agenda; and the board will take a formal vote on priorities at the October meeting, after public input and any adjustments.

The recommendation described at the work session came from the finance, bond and capital committee and has not yet been adopted by the full board. The bond ask and the committee's list of projects remain subject to change before a final board vote and any subsequent actions by the county.","The school district's finance, bond and capital committee recommended a $320,521,418 bond package to fund new and replacement schools and districtwide safety and technology upgrades. The full board will consider the recommendation at its first regular meeting in October.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

RiverLights site, Isaac Bear plans drawn into bond discussion; conveyance and funding questions remain

Board reviews hybrid plan for New Hanover High; phase 1 focuses on security, cafeteria and bus routing

Finance committee recommends $320.5 million school bond; board to vote in October