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Board presses staff for clarity on Oakwood-to-South move, traffic plan and DPI approval
Summary
Board members questioned a staff plan that would colocate Oakwood and South Elementary students in one building, pressing for written DPI approval, room-by-room assignments, and clearer car- and bus-loading logistics to avoid safety and funding problems.
Board members pressed district staff on June 1 over plans to relocate Oakwood students to South Elementary, saying the presented traffic-management and classroom assignments differ from the board's earlier decision to operate two separate schools at one site.
The issue drew sustained questions after staff described an approach that would house both schools in the same building and use wings or ‘‘merging’’ of spaces rather than strictly dividing the facility. Chief Operating Officer (COO) (Speaker 7) said the plan was intended to keep school environments distinct while using available classroom capacity, but the COO acknowledged that students would be assigned to rooms based on capacity rather than by creating fully separate school footprints.
Why it matters: Board members said that approach risks losing funding and administrative recognition unless the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (DPI) agrees. A board member who raised procedural concerns said the board previously approved two separate schools at one location and that running the facility as a single merged site could jeopardize separate school numbers, funding for two principals and related resources.
Board members also questioned logistics for arrival and dismissal. One board member said routing all car riders into a single line would create traffic backups — ‘‘over 300 cars’’ in one line, the member said — and asked staff to present alternatives with multiple car-rider lanes and separate bus-loading zones. The COO said staff were trying to avoid routing cars onto busy Highway 86 and were exploring three loading lanes in an available parking area to reduce congestion.
The board asked staff to return with a clearer, room-by-room diagram showing where each Oakwood and South class would be located, a written determination from DPI about operating and funding two school numbers at a single facility, and more detailed traffic maps that show separate car and bus loading and unloading points. Staff committed to take the feedback back and bring an updated plan to a future meeting.
What happens next: The board requested written confirmation from DPI and room-assignment details before approving the final transition plans.
Speakers quoted or paraphrased in this article appear in the meeting roster and include the Chief Operating Officer and board members who led the questioning.
