Board reviews 10‑year facilities plan; staff outline possible school closures and expansions
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Summary
Craven County Schools staff presented a 10‑year facilities plan based on the district’s 2019 facilities study and recent updates, highlighting potential closures, modular additions and capital needs.
Craven County Schools staff presented a 10‑year facilities plan based on the district’s 2019 facilities study and recent updates, highlighting cost estimates, capacity constraints and potential school repurposing.
Stacy Lee, who presented the plan, told the board the update draws on the 2019 facilities plan and recent work and is intended as a discussion starting point rather than a final recommendation. The plan flags schools with low enrollment and shows green numbers for investment estimates and red highlights for facilities that could be considered for closure or repurposing.
Why it matters: Facilities choices affect student assignment, capital spending and the district’s ability to meet enrollment needs in growth areas. The board heard specifics and next steps without taking action.
Key details presented: staff noted Grand May Barden’s enrollment has fallen and the district has considered closing or reassigning its students. To place those students at Havelock Elementary, staff said Havelock could not absorb the enrollment without modular classrooms; staff estimated roughly $750,000 for modular additions to Havelock Elementary. The plan also discussed an expansion at Creekside (to accommodate growth in that part of the county) and a potential new middle school in the New Bern area.
Staff cautioned the board that school closure is a legal process: closures require following Department of Public Instruction (DPI) policies and general statutes. The board heard that older school buildings can be repurposed for other educational uses and that the plan’s cost and schedule items are preliminary.
Board reaction and next steps: Board members asked for the updated 2019 facilities plan materials (an executive summary is posted online; staff said the full binder had recently been published) and urged careful legal review. No vote was taken; staff said an updated facilities plan that includes board input will be developed in coming months.
Ending: The board treated the presentation as informational; staff were asked to provide additional materials to board members and to consult legal counsel about the legal steps required before a school closure might proceed.
