CONCORD- After hours of discussion, after dozens of emails from concerned parents and teachers, after meeting on meeting of intense debate, the Cabarrus County school board has finally made a decision to expand its magnet program.
The board originally heard a proposal to expand the system's magnet program in early May. After several meetings of discussion and community input, the plan evolved to its current form, which occurs over three phases.
Phase one will go into effect for the 2017-2018 school year. On the primary school level, Irvin Elementary will have an IB program along with Spanish immersion, and Winecoff Elementary will offer Spanish immersion.
C.C. Griffin and Northwest Cabarrus middle schools will become neighborhood STEM schools, phasing in sixth grade in 2017 and becoming whole school by 2019. J.N. Fries becomes a STEM magnet with a neighborhood zone, phasing in beginning with sixth grade. J.N. Fries currently doesn't have an attendance zone and operates solely as a magnet school.
The IB program now at J.N. Fries will move to Concord Middle School, and Winkler Middle School will also add an IB magnet; both programs will operate as whole-school initiatives.
Northwest Cabarrus High School will start a freshman STEM academy.
In fall of 2018, Wolf Meadow and Weddington Hills elementary schools will each open a Spanish immersion program. Royal Oaks Elementary will add a Fine Arts Magnet, Winecoff Elementary will become a STEM magnet and Harrisburg Elementary will add Mandarin immersion.
In either 2019 or 2020, the new high school on Weddington Road will open with an IB academy.
Board Chair Barry Shoemaker's amended plan also added hiring a third STEM coach rather than just two; board members opted to leave it up to staff where those would be assigned. Two IB coaches will go at Winkler Middle and Irvin Elementary schools.
Cost breakdown
The original proposal called for $875,000 in funding the first year and $790,000 in ongoing expenses. The adopted plan adds:
- About $100,000 for door-to-door transportation to J.N. Fries;
- $170,000 for two buses for that door-to-door service;
- $60,000 for an additional STEM coach
- $150,000 to set up mobile units at Concord Middle School required to move the IB program there from J.N. Fries;
- $400,000 to purchase those eight mobile units.
This would add $310,000 to the initial cost, raising that to $1.18 million; this would be needed for the 2017-2018 school year. Ongoing expenses jump from $790,000 to $950,000. Capital expenses, not included in the original proposal, total $570,000.
