Martin County Schools staff recommend merging South Creek Middle into Riverside Middle to reduce costs and expand services

Martin County Schools administrators presented a study at a special board meeting recommending consolidation of South Creek Middle School into Riverside Middle School, citing sharply declining enrollment, high operating costs and extensive infrastructure repairs as the primary reasons for the proposal. Superintendent Dr. White told the Board that the study was intended to evaluate “long‑term sustainability, operational efficiency, academic opportunities, enrollment trends, staffing considerations, and overall impact” for students and families.

The presentation said South Creek Middle — built in 1975 with 38 classroom spaces and a capacity of 960 — currently serves about 136 students, using roughly 15% of the building’s capacity in practice. District staff reported that South Creek’s annual operating cost is about $2.4 million, producing a per‑pupil expenditure of $16,975; by contrast Riverside Middle’s per‑pupil expenditure was listed as $11,001. The finance analysis estimated that combining the two schools would lower the combined per‑pupil expenditure to about $10,629, producing district savings the presenters estimated at roughly $3.5 million to $3.6 million over time.

The facilities portion of the study documented widespread building damage that presenters said included ceiling‑grid water damage, mold on ceiling tiles, rusted single‑pane windows, cracking parking lots with vegetation and sinkholes on athletic fields. Staff provided repair estimates: parking lot ~$750,000; full window replacement ~$680,000; sealing remaining roof ~$400,000; replacing damaged drain tile ~$150,000; ceiling grid ~$500,000; HVAC ~$40,000 — a total of about $2,520,000 to bring the facility to basic operational condition (presenters emphasized this did not include instructional upgrades).

Administrators also described staffing and program limitations tied to small enrollment: a small core teaching staff with a high share of beginning teachers, limited elective and advanced course offerings, constrained career and technical education options, and limited mentor capacity for new teachers. The curriculum and instruction representative argued that merging resources would support professional learning communities, veteran‑to‑beginning teacher collaboration, expanded electives and clubs, and improved intervention and enrichment services for students.

Multiple department leaders backed consolidation in their recommendations during the meeting: the transportation representative said consolidation could improve routing and create age‑appropriate transport arrangements; the curriculum and instruction unit recommended the merger to align personnel and strengthen instruction; athletics and student services cited expanded extracurricular opportunities; the technology and finance departments also recommended consolidating to improve operational efficiency and long‑term solvency. The maintenance director, speaking for his department, recommended moving students to Riverside "because of the condition of the buildings."

Superintendent Dr. White emphasized the district would not make a final recommendation until hearing the community: “I, as our superintendent, will not make that recommendation until I hear from our families and our community,” she said, and scheduled a public hearing for Monday, May 18 at 6 p.m. to collect input. Several board members and community speakers expressed strong emotions and concern about the potential loss of a neighborhood school and the historic and social role the South Creek facility plays in the western end of the county. One board member said, “This is hard for me. I have a lot of emotions about it,” reflecting community attachment discussed during the Q&A.

The board handled two formal, brief procedural actions during the meeting: it approved the meeting agenda by voice vote at the start of the session and later voted to enter a closed session under North Carolina statutes to consult with counsel and consider confidential personnel and student matters and potential real property acquisition. The meeting moved into closed session after the public Q&A and departmental recommendations.

Next steps: the district will hold the public hearing on May 18 and staff said the superintendent will take community input and departmental recommendations into account before making a final recommendation to the Board. The study and slide materials referenced state reporting (the North Carolina School Report Card) and a statutory framework for consolidation and closure described in the presentation as “general statute 115C.”