Blue Ridge topics dominate school board discussion

By Lynn Hotaling

Speaking in front of a packed house, several Cashiers area residents implored local school officials to do what is necessary to ensure that Blue Ridge, the K-12 school for the southern end of Jackson County, keeps its high school program.

Some 50 parents, grandparents and community members, including former school board member Larry Moss, journeyed to Sylva for Monday's school board meeting, keeping a promise they made two weeks ago at Blue Ridge School.

Speakers included Moss, who said he was encouraged by recent developments in the Cashiers-Glenville area.

"There's a sense that people are wanting to work together," Moss said. "I hate to hear talk of removing the school."

Rumors that school board members intended to consolidate Blue Ridge's high school with Smoky Mountain in Sylva began circulating last month after school officials agreed to consider a request that the school system provide transportation to SMHS for several Cashiers area students.

All speakers at a special Aug. 15 meeting at Blue Ridge voiced their opposition to consolidation, citing safety concerns and their preference for having their high school students educated in their own community.

Others who spoke Monday night included architect Earl Smith, who expressed his support for a proposed classroom addition at Blue Ridge.

"A classroom addition will be a positive," Smith said. "We've had a lot of negatives. Positive things might turn everything around."

Parent Jim Nichols told school board members of committees formed to improve Blue Ridge's curriculum and communications.

"I believe morale is good and the kids are excited," Nichols said. "I think our children believe their parents and community are working for them."

School board members voted Monday to form a study committee, made up of administrators, parents, teachers and school board members, to look into all aspects of the program at Blue Ridge as well as community demograhics.

"I'm excited by the interest," said board Chairman Martha Queen after hearing Cashiers residents' comments. "Maybe (these consolidation rumors) have been a wake-up call for everyone."

The school's population is declining, Queen said, especially in the high school grades. This year's senior class at Blue Ridge has only nine students, down from the 27 who entered ninth grade together in 1997.

"We do have a declining population, and we don't really understand why," Queen said. "We're very concerned."

One resident, Eddie Madden, told Queen he was familiar with the requirements for consolidation, and that one of them is a comprehensive study. Madden asked Queen if she would say the study is not intended as a step toward consolidation.

"The school is dying a natural death," Queen said. "It's heart-rending. I'm not for consolidation and never have been, but, if kids can't get what they need there, they need to have choices.

"I don't want to see that school die. We've never discussed consolidation," Queen said.

The board chairman went on to say that more money spent at Blue Ridge is not necessarily the answer either.

With regard to funding for Blue Ridge, school officials learned Monday night that the money on hand is some $170,000 less than bids received for the eight-classroom addition proposed to house Blue Ridge's high school students.

Based on a report from school system construction coordinator Clarence Hubbell, board members decided to postpone awarding the contract on the planned 11,900-square-foot addition. A special meeting will be scheduled after Hubbell obtains prices from the low bidder for deleting several options.

Low bidder was H&M Construction at a total cost of $1,700,380, Hubbell said, which works out to a cost of $140 per square foot. Additional estimated expenses, including architect's fees already incurred, bring the cost of the planned project to almost $1.95 million, Hubbell said.

Funds available for the Blue Ridge project total $1,783,200 and include $209,000 in state critical needs funds, $674,200 from the 1994 state education bond and $900,000 borrowed by the Jackson County commissioners.

Possible deletions that will be considered to bring the Blue Ridge project under budget are air conditioning for the existing vocational building and the elimination of two classrooms, Hubbell said.

Cashiers resident Ed Madden (father of Eddie) told school board members he would like an opportunity to raise money in the community to ensure that the project goes forward as planned.

"I know we can get some community support to raise money to get what was originally planned," the senior Madden said. "The community is united, and we would really like to establish a good rapport with the school board."

"I'm pleased with the interest that Blue Ridge parents are taking in the school. One of the best things we can do is to encourage students to do well, learn and achieve high scores," said Superintendent Frank Burrell.

Back to Archive: 08/31/00.