I heard the plan is to split the AIG center and send the eastern half to South Smithfield and the western half to Powhaten (new on Vinson Road). Has anyone else heard this?
Dismantling the AIG Center Here is part of an email that I received from an AIG Center staff member regarding this problem: Dr. Parker met with our staff today and basically said that the County is determined to split us in half and move one half of the faculty to the new Powhatan Elementary and the other half of the faculty to South Smithfield. He cited high gas prices but he admitted that the County wants our building for administrative offices. NO FINAL DECISION HAS BEEN MADE YET. The reason I am emailing you is because I don’t know which school they will assign me to if it happens. We have no idea how we would rotate the children through classes, etc. Here is the breakdown of the split: South Smithfield Monday – Polenta and Dixon Road Tuesday – Four Oaks, Meadow and Micro Pine Level Wednesday – Selma, West Smithfield and Wilson’s Mills Thursday – Benson Elem and Middle, Glendale Kenly, Princeton Union Friday – McGees, South Smithfield Powhatan Monday – Cleveland and West Clayton Tuesday – River Dell and Corinth Holders Wednesday – Cooper and Riverwood Thursday – West View Friday – East Clayton and Powhatan Part of the beauty of the Center is that children meet others from all over the County and later meet up with them again in Middle and High School. This plan destroys that, especially for the West View students. The state of NC pays for most of the fuel for school busses. The County "supplements" this to a small degree. The move would not save fuel anyway. It is a smokescreen argument. The Center functions as a unit. It is not being divided. It is being dismantled. The variety of curriculum and richness of resources will be diminished. We may share subject areas but we do not share curriculum (Current science, music, art, and tech lab resources cannot be divided equally. The AIG Art Collection and the Smithsonian Animal Exhibit cannot be broken into pieces and maintain their integrity.) The new locations do not provide a mid-town location rich in real world experiences and within walking distance. Examples: Heritage Center, Ava Gardner Museum, Courthouse, Red Cross, Fire Station, Geocaches. Dividing the student body of highly gifted students into smaller groups diminished the opportunity to work with their gifted peers. These points directly affect the quality of the gifted instruction and the experience for the students. Please help us understand how dismantling the Center will improve the instruction and the experience for them. Please call or email any School Board member to voice your opinion about this sudden split. They are not even giving us a year to plan – Dr. Parker expects us to be up and running by August.
I'm upset by this. They got no warning and the kids have to just go with the flow...again. I think they should give a yr's warning so the teachers can prepare. I agree with the email. Frogger
I know, I know.... You're right. It just burns me. The kids are the ones who suffer. The teachers have no time to prepare, which makes them suffer as well. They should leave it where it's been since it started as the AG school!! Frogger
Yep, another one for the school board. Dismantle the middle school orchestra program, change the hours of schools so they don't have to buy buses. I'm sure we could add to this list.
Yeah, it was really nice of them to take our orchestra instructor and reallocate him to the elementary schools a few months after I bought a 2000.00 instrument. I just feel bad for all the elementary parents in the program - what happens to their kids when they get to middle school? One night a week at JCYO was not much of an ROI.
I have emailed Dr. Parker, the entire school board, and Keith Beamon (curriculum and instruction) as well as the AIG coordinator at central services. Tomorrow, they will be getting either a visit or a phone call from me.
School Board candidates opinions on this You might also consider contacting the Candidates who are running for the School Board in November. If they are not already aware of this then they should be brought into the fold 'so da speak. It would be interesting to hear their opinions of the prospect of what might be occurring to AIG.
I still have the letter. It came directly from the school board, the tone was pretty much "if you don't like it - tough toenails. What's done is done".
Two thoughts.... on all the school board and superintendant stuff. 1. We need to get out and vote because... 2. We are turning into Wake County faster than I assumed we would. I am just going to put it out there, our school board is lazy (with exception of Larry and Donna) and our superintendant knows it.
Thanks everyone for the info. I will be calling today also. Does anyone know the history of the center? Wasn't there money given by some family? Haven't been in JoCo long enough to know. Thanks again.
Current Board of Education Members if this issue is significant enough for you to stand up and have your voice heard here is the list of Board of Education members............ Current Johnston County Board of Education Members (this public info was found on the Johnston County Board of Elections website) Kay Carroll, Chairman 1112 S. Lakeside Drive Four Oaks, N.C. 27524 Phone: (919) 934-5882 Term Expires: 2008 Dorothy Johnson, Vice Chairman 201 Oakdale Drive Clayton, N.C. 27520 Phone: (919) 553-5527 Term Expires: 2010 Fred Bartholomew 104 Bartholomew Drive Princeton, N.C. 27569 Phone: (919) 936-2301 Term Expires: 2008 Jack O'Hale 812 Baker Street Smithfield, N.C. 27577 Phone: (919) 934-0267 Term Expires: 2008 Donna White 1330 W. Main Street Clayton, N.C. 27520 Phone: (919) 553-5627 Term Expires: 2008 Bulter Hall PO Box 1242 Four Oaks, N.C. 27524 Phone: (919) 963-4147 Term Expires: 2010 Larry Strickland PO Box 700 Pine Level, NC 27568 Phone: (919) 965-9366 Term Expires: 2010
if you are curious as to what the opinion is of this action from the candidates running for the Board of Education in November and whom might be sitting on the Board as of next year............ Board of Education Candidates (this pubic info was found on the Johnston County Board of Elections website) Keith Branch W. Landis Bullock Peggy D. Smith Donna White (Incumbent) Mike Wooten Lynn Neiverth Amy Elizabeth Devereaux Greg Evans
History of the AIG Center The Center was started over 20 years ago. It was housed in the 3 story A.G. Glenn building (old Smithfield High School) that Johnston County just spent millions to renovate. (Beautifully done and with respect to the high school heritage of the building.) (J.C. did it to get administrative offices out of the Annex building near the Outlet Mall so they wouldn't have to pay rent anymore.) The Center was started to expand services for the AG kids in the County - I don't believe private $$ was given to start it. The AIG Center now resides in the old Smithfield Elementary building next to the A.G. Glenn building. (The students who attended there now attend at West Smithfield Elementary.) Some renovation work was done to the building when the AIG Center moved in, but it was not made handicapped accessible on its 2nd floor. If the County gets its way and the AIG Center is transformed into offices, it will be a showplace with marble bathrooms and handicap accessibility (an elevator) much the way the A.G. Glenn building was transformed. Thus, the $$ that the County is arguing would be saved from not having to bus students so far would evaporate with the renovation. On a related side note, it is interesting how classes and not administrators always end up in the "mobile units" or trailers.
