Leon County to delay school construction
Budget restraints put 17 renovation projects on hold

By TaMaryn Waters
Tuesday, June 24, 2008

The $7 million to create a new magnet program at Riley Elementary School will remain in the school district´s capital outlay budget. But 17 other projects will have to wait because there´s less money to go around.

The Riley project is critical because it allows the school to create a new technology program that will prepare students for the magnet programs at its feeder schools, Griffin Middle and Godby High schools.

But not going ahead with projects such as new heating and air-conditioning units and renovations could mean that the district falls behind in much needed school improvements for at least another year.

The public will have a chance to speak on the 2008-2009 capital-outlay budget and the rolling five-year plan for each school during the public hearing at today´s meeting.

The district will have $45 million to work with, a $10 million decrease from last year.

The 17 “additional project priorities” at schools like Deerlake Middle, Fairview Middle, Buck Lake Elementary and Kate Sullivan may not get attention next school year if the district doesn´t get more money from the state, an unlikely hope in light of significant cuts made by the Legislature.

“We are taking care of our essentials,” said Paul Byrd, assistant superintendent of support services for the district.

He said the state gave Leon County $7 million for jobs related to class-size reduction last year, such as building new classrooms or getting portables at over-crowded schools. But he said the state isn´t giving any money for class-size needs in the fall.

Byrd said the district is holding $2.8 million in reserve for unforeseen costs that may surface next year.

In the meantime, more than 50 percent of the district´s construction jobs are done during the summer so classes aren´t interrupted.

They range from replacing carpet to replacing and improving air-conditioning and heating units to gutting offices to make room for new and improved spaces.

Dara Moody, who has a 7-year-old third-grader at Oak Ridge Elementary School, said the temperature at the school was inconsistent most of the time. She said some areas of the school, such as the hallways, would be hot and the other areas very chilly.

The school is getting work on its heating and air-conditioning unit.

“I´m glad to see this happening. That was a need at Oak Ridge,” Moody said.

Riley Elementary School Principal Karwynn Paul said his school´s construction project for a technology magnet program will be a big boost for students.

The school´s media center will go from serving 50 to 100 students with the expansion, and it will include more audio-enhancement and computer stations for students and teachers.

“This is part of the vision, to build on our technology. So we need a building that will support our vision and program,” Paul said.

Byrd said Riley is able to get a $7-million project because it´s a Title 1 school and qualified for the federal program, Qualified Zone Academy Bond, which allows a school district to borrow money at little or no interest cost.

He said the district wants to bring more magnet programs to schools with declining enrollment, so there will be less of a need to build new schools in rapidly populated areas like in the north and east side of town.

“Building new buildings is fine, but is this going to improve the quality of education for our students?,” asked Daniel Selby, who has a third-grade daughter at Apalachee Elementary School. “That´s a concern for me, and I don´t know.”

Shannon Lynch, assistant superintendent of curriculum instruction, said the school structure is an important influence in the way students feel at school. She said she works closely with staffers in the facilities division regarding students´ need to feel comfortable at school, which can be molded by paint on the walls or the muggy feel of a classroom when there´s no air conditioning.

“Anytime your environment is not conducive to learning,” Lynch said, “it´s going to have a negative impact.”