McDowell County Board of Education Considers Magnet School

By Britt Combs, The McDowell News, Marion, N.C.

Jul. 28–The School Board will consider another option for the school construction dilemma.

Superintendent Dr. Ira Trollinger presented another possible solution. He suggested the board consider building a magnet school.

Last year, the board decided, in keeping with the state and national trend, to change from a junior high to a middle school structure. This would necessitate moving the ninth grade to the high school. Last year, the board voted to build a new high school, but that has been effectively halted by the County Commission’s refusal to allow a bond referendum on the November ballot.

While many opposed the second high school due to the great expense and the loss of 4A athletic status, Trollinger said a magnet school would be far less expensive, due to its bare-bones facility requirements, and McDowell High would remain 4A. What’s more, it could allow the high school to expand educational opportunities in various fields.

In this context, the term “magnet school” means a school with an intensive focus or specialized curriculum.

“Magnet schools serve such program needs as mathematics, science and technology, or international studies and cultural arts, or a career technical education program,” he said.

His idea is that the school would serve 400 or 500 students who would remain enrolled at McDowell High School. The extracurricular activities, including athletics, would remain at the main campus.

In the presentation, and in subsequent board discussion, the career tech focus seemed the most talked-about, but the options remain open.

“Building a magnet high school would give the system additional space at all eight elementary schools,” Trollinger said.

Several elementary schools are at capacity. Marion Elementary has had to turn away incoming kindergarteners from out of district due to crowding at that school. If the high school (via a magnet school or any other option), could accommodate the ninth grade, then sixth grade could be combined into the middle schools.

Trollinger hoped housing the math and sciences, technical and career tech at the school and locating it at the Business Park (on U.S. 221 near I-40) might be more appealing to the County Commission.

Students in industrial training programs could be conveniently located near some of the county’s most dynamic manufacturers, Trollinger said, allowing them to engage in workplace learning and apprenticeships. It would also make it more convenient for business leaders to participate in curriculum and teaching and gearing the learning to the skills needed for employment.

“I could imagine (County Manager) Chuck Abernathy using that as a major recruiting tool in attracting manufacturers to our community,” he said.

As a satellite campus of the main high school, the facility would be far less expensive than an entirely new school. It would require no athletic facilities, for instance. It would need only classrooms, a cafeteria and perhaps an auditorium.

“Later, in 10 or 15 years, if the population increases, the school could be transformed into a second comprehensive high school,” he said. “The investment would not be lost. Care should be taken to purchase a site that could accommodate a comprehensive high school in the future.

“A magnet high school would allow us to do innovative programming in selected areas,” he added. “If we selected international studies and cultural arts, a comprehensive program could be developed to serve the students.”

He also mentioned the possibility of building an auditorium that could be of great use to the community, attracting shows and performers who might not play a venue as small as East Junior High. It could be of use to MACA for their theater performances. Such a facility could generate revenue.

Trollinger said preliminary estimates indicated the magnet school might cost about $25 million, a great deal less than last year’s proposed new high school would have cost.

Board member Randy Williams asked if Trollinger had any indication how the County Commission might receive the idea.

“I have no earthly idea what they’ll agree to,” answered Trollinger.

Board Member Butch Justice said the idea was intriguing enough to warrant further study.

“If we didn’t look at building an auditorium,” he said, “we’d just have classrooms, a gym and a cafeteria. Would that not possibly be reasonable to do with our current cash flow?”

He stated that he tended to support expanding the existing high school, but that Trollinger’s idea might solve a lot of problems.

Board Member Terry English spoke of the need to grow career and technical education in every way. He said often liberal arts, four-year degree was over-emphasized and that technical education was just as important.

“But my concern,” he said, “is that we already have a well-established vocational department at the high school and we might be better served to come up with a magnet school that’s academic.”

Board Member Brian Piercy, too, said he was open to learning more about Trollinger’s idea.

“I’m for the new high school because I have always thought it was the best option for the future. It’s not about 4A athletics or anything else; it’s about what’s best for the kids and for the school,” he said.

“I’m glad Dr. Trollinger thought of this,” he added, “because I believe (adding on to the existing high school) is a Band-Aid. There are problems at the high school, not just dropouts, and some of you know what I’m talking about. So putting the ninth grade there is just putting more kids in the way of the problem.

“I’m not backing off the new high school, because it’s what we will need 15 or 20 years from now,” Piercy said, “but maybe this is the way to get there. I’d love to see a career tech magnet school.”

All the board members expressed interest in further study. Justice asked Trollinger to put detailed figures together concerning curriculum and cost options within 60 days.

Trollinger said he could have the figures ready in 30 days. He also promised to arrange visits to existing magnet high schools elsewhere.

Chairwoman Priscilla Owenby expressed gratitude to Trollinger for the plan.

“I’m proud of Dr. Trollinger for bringing this idea to our attention,” she said, “and I’m proud of the board for hearing this and being open to it.”

Board Member Kay Sinclair emphasized that the option was a forming idea and a work in progress. She said it was by no means a done deal and no one had made any decision.

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Copyright (c) 2008, The McDowell News, Marion, N.C.

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