YEAR-ROUND SCHOOLING

This morning the new school board candidates continued their campaign at the Lenoir Community Retirement Home, outlining their plan for a year-round schedule that would eliminate the need for trailers and new buildings but may put a large hole in citizen’s wallets.

Instead of asking about the $35 million bond issue appearing in April’s ballot; the senior citizens wanted information on three main issues; what changes are the candidates planning to enact, will the trailers be used as classrooms, and why or why not year-round schooling is being considered.

Candidate Larry Dorman wanted to focus solely on pay raises for the teachers and reducing the overcrowding in the county schools. He believed that the overcrowding in schools was the biggest issue and said that, "if money weren't an issue, I'd build all the schools necessary."

Candidate Henry Lane would like to enact year-round schooling in order to reduce overcrowding in the county schools. The new school schedule would reduce the number of students each day, while decreasing the need for trailers and saving money on building construction.

One senior citizen, Mark Johnson, asked how the new schedules would be constructed for a year-round schedule.

Lane said that instead of having a summer, winter, or spring break, the students will have several smaller breaks and. The students will be broken up into sections; each section going to school at a different time.

Also a candidate this year, Board President, Elton Fay believes that year-round schooling is not a practical idea. He believed that, while it may lower the costs of new buildings, it will only raise the cost of sending children to school.

Christy Smith, a resident in the retirement home, said that she believed year-round schooling would be a great idea. She believed that it would keep the kids off the street and out of trouble.

Other residents weren't so sure. They believed that school schedules wouldn't keep kids out of trouble and that they already had enough taxes; they didn't need another one.

Fay added that, even though he did not agree with the use of trailers as classrooms, a year-round schooling system would mean different schedules for children that have always gone to school together; to separate them now could be more harmful than helpful.

Lane finished the morning, saying that he believed that there "is a changing tide" when it comes to the use of trailers as classrooms.