Dozens of public commenters — including a McCain student, alumni, staff and parents — urged the Red Clay board to pause the Thomas McCain Innovation Center plan, raise red flags about communications and transportation, and ask for clearer timelines; the superintendent said a dedicated web page would go live to share details.
After heated debate and public pleas, the Red Clay board's motion to submit a letter of intent to terminate the Wilmington Learning Collaborative MOU was withdrawn; boardmembers said they will pursue a collaborative rewrite and allow the renewal process to proceed with more community input.
At a Red Clay School Board workshop, Reading Consortium co-chairs Senator Tizzy Lachman and Matt Denn outlined three redistricting models for Wilmington-area schools and said the consortium will vote on which model to draft on Dec. 16; American Institutes for Research cost estimates are due before that vote.
During public comment at the Red Clay workshop, parents, teachers and Wilmington leaders urged clarity on fiscal impacts, stronger representation for city students, better special-education supports and either bold consolidation or careful safeguards, depending on speaker.
Board members heard a presentation on draft changes to policy 5.003 that incorporate school choice language, add walking‑condition reporting details, and remove an ambiguous reference to two‑way communication; the policy is posted for comment and the committee will meet Dec. 3 ahead of a December second reading.
Multiple staff and parents told the Red Clay board they oppose the McCain Innovation Center/high‑school reconfiguration, citing a staff survey showing 77% opposition, potential harm to special‑education students, lack of transparency, and unfunded transportation that could deepen inequities.
A parent representing Conrad School of Science parents told the board the boys’ locker room has repeated flooding, standing water, visible mold, broken lockers and exposed wiring; she provided photos and asked the board to enforce maintenance obligations under state code.
Public commenters at the Oct. 15 Red Clay board meeting urged greater transparency and equity around an upcoming attendance‑zone/redistricting process, called for more family engagement on a proposed high‑school plan and urged expanded social‑emotional supports at middle schools.
The Red Clay Consolidated School District Board approved creation of a working group to develop the Thomas McCain Innovation Center, amended to require Zoom access and public comment; board members said the district will update the board bimonthly and pursue advisory input from colleges, employers and state agencies as it maps steps toward an Aug.
At the Sept. 17 meeting the board heard a facilities committee update on completed lighting upgrades, UVGI installations, solar tie-ins and ballistic-film work tied to House Bill 49. A public commenter also urged the board to explain its school-security spending and staffing of constables.
