Craven County Board authorizes review of Graham Barton Elementary; public urges preservation of West Street School

The Craven County Board of Education on Tuesday voted unanimously to authorize Superintendent Wayne Cheeseman to initiate a school‑closing procedure for Graham Barton Elementary, a discovery step that will gather enrollment, facility condition, transportation and budget data but is not a decision to close the school.

Cheeseman told the board that the district has a standard school‑closing procedure from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and outlined a tentative timeline: data collection the week of Feb. 23, a draft closing‑procedure summary the week of March 2, public informational meetings in mid‑ to late‑March, a published questions‑and‑answers summary in mid‑April and a tentative decision the week of April 11. "My recommendation to you ... is to allow me as the superintendent to initiate a school closing procedure for GAB," he said.

The action followed an extended public‑comment period in which several speakers urged the board not to sell or demolish historically significant properties and urged preservation or museum use for the former West Street School (also referenced in the meeting as F.R. Daniels). Ethel Sampson, recalling attending the school in the 1940s, asked, "Is it legal to sell public land without a public hearing?" and said the community had gathered about 1,000 signatures asking the board to preserve the property. Pastor Robert Johnson and Ken Harper also asked the board to protect the site and consider a local African‑American museum.

Board members repeatedly emphasized that the vote was to begin a discovery process, not to close any school. Miss Spies moved the motion, Miss Daisy seconded it, and the board approved the motion unanimously. Miss Spies clarified for the public that the motion "is a motion to do the discovery process. This is not a motion to close down any schools anywhere in the county."

Board member Miss Stacy said declining enrollment at Graham Barton has been evident for some time and described the review as appropriate given budget pressures: "It is right and appropriate, particularly given the budget scenario that we're facing, to have a public conversation about it." She also asked the board to be careful and exacting in its language because the district operates 26 schools in 25 facilities.

The superintendent's presentation said the review will analyze facility capacity and condition, membership and student assignment, transportation impacts, diversity implications, and alternative uses for any building that might be vacated. If the board votes to proceed after the tentative decision, formal informational meetings and a subsequent open board meeting on any closure would follow state law and district procedure.

Next steps: Dr. Cheeseman will produce the draft school‑closing summary for board review the week of March 2 and the board expects to hold public informational sessions in mid‑ to late‑March; a tentative, nonbinding decision is scheduled for the week of April 11. If the board does not approve proceeding at that point, the process stops.