Burke County Public Schools proposes moving Halliburton Academy into Dron High School wing

Superintendent Dr. Swan proposed relocating Halliburton Academy into an independent wing at Dron High School, saying the district could increase career and technical education access for alternative‑program students and capture roughly $400,000 in annual operating savings.

The proposal, introduced at the April 13 board meeting, would keep Halliburton as a separate school number with its own principal, mascot and graduation while moving classrooms and day‑to‑day operations into four currently vacant rooms at Dron. Dr. Swan said Halliburton’s current enrollment is about 35–36 students (including about 13 credit‑recovery students and roughly 11 students placed for vaping‑policy violations) and that Dron’s available capacity would rise from about 41.5% to an estimated 63% if 30–40 Halliburton students were relocated.

Why it matters: District officials argued the move would reduce per‑student costs at the alternative program, provide more CTE options (foods, carpentry, business, fire, interior design and other pathways) for students who qualify, and consolidate operations to avoid maintaining two small campuses. Dr. Swan and finance staff estimated it would save roughly $400,000 a year—about the budget equivalent of 9½ teaching positions—by trimming duplicated operational roles and making better use of existing facilities.

Board members pressed for specifics. Several members asked for a line‑by‑line accounting of the projected $400,000 savings and which positions or contracts would change. Finance staff said roughly $1.6–$1.8 in one‑time work (estimated in the meeting as about $160,000–$180,000) would be needed to ready the Dron wing for Halliburton students (parking, drop‑off, pavement repairs, cameras and a buzzer system), paid from capital funds if approved.

CTE eligibility and course capacity were central concerns. The district’s CTE director told the board that CTE is funded by state and federal “man‑months,” not local dollars, and that some CTE courses have strict caps (for example, nursing fundamentals seats may be limited to about 10 per semester). The director said Burke County is among the few districts in the region that requires a local CTE course for graduation, and that many Halliburton students have already completed an initial CTE course; the move could allow them to take second‑ or third‑level courses at Dron if behavior and prereqs permit.

On safety, administrators outlined existing protocols at Halliburton—metal detectors, wanding and supervised bathroom procedures—and proposed an increased SRO presence and a roving lieutenant based at the Dron campus. Dr. Swan described the district’s behavior‑team process and said students placed at Halliburton are typically there because of frequency or severity of disciplinary incidents; high‑risk threats are handled through formal threat assessments and, when appropriate, homebound placement.

Community reaction and governance questions followed. Multiple board members expressed frustration with early staff‑level briefings that preceded a public announcement and said online misinformation and harsh personal attacks on Halliburton students and staff had harmed trust. One board member said, “These kids are not bad kids,” and urged a careful, inclusive public forum so parents and staff can ask questions. Several board members asked for an opportunity to have Dr. Swan and administrators answer questions publicly before any board action.

Authority and timing: Board counsel explained that the superintendent’s contract delegates broad authority over student affairs to the superintendent, and that the board could divest that authority only by an affirmative majority vote. Board members discussed next steps: administrators will propose dates and formats for a standalone public hearing or forum; the board signaled it wants detailed budget backup and line‑item documentation before any final decision. The board also noted an internal timeline: if the relocation were to take effect for the 2026–27 school year, a decision would likely be required by May.

What’s next: Administration was asked to provide the requested cost and staffing details, clarify which Halliburton students would be eligible to access Dron CTE courses and propose public meeting dates. The board did not vote on relocation at the meeting; several members said they would consider placing a motion on a future agenda after the public hearing and follow‑up materials are shared.