Moore County Schools to Hold Public Hearing Feb. 3 on Superintendent’s Recommendation to Replace Carthage Elementary

Superintendent Dr. Locklear on Monday recommended replacing Carthage Elementary with a new school on a new site sized for about 600 students and asked the board to schedule a public hearing so the community can weigh in.

The recommendation and proposed next step — a public hearing at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 3 — were presented by Assistant Superintendent for Operations Miss Purvis. She told the board the facility assessment and updated capacity study drove staff’s conclusion that the existing Carthage site (about 7.6 acres) cannot support the district’s projected needs and that repair estimates for the current building start at roughly $11 million, rising to about $13 million–$13.5 million if the gym is included. By contrast, replacement estimates cited to the board ranged as high as $40 million depending on final scope.

“Public hearing is proposed by staff for Monday, February 3rd at 5:30 to receive public input on the superintendent's recommendation for the replacement of Carthage Elementary,” Miss Purvis said during the presentation. Dr. Locklear added that the hearing’s purpose is to let impacted residents and other stakeholders comment on the recommendation before the board acts: “The purpose of the public hearing is to allow the public folks impacted...to provide that feedback to the board on my recommendation.”

Nut graf: The board is asking for community input before deciding whether to move forward with the superintendent’s preferred course — a new 600‑seat school on a new…