Local

Needs cited for Rock Springs, Asbury

By ANDIE LEATHERMAN, LTN Staff Writer

Jan. 11, 2002 - Additional classrooms, bathrooms, a workroom, storeroom and more parking top Rock Springs Elementary’s wish list.

 A technical career preparation program is the biggest need at Asbury School. It does not need the population of bats that have taken up in a multipurpose room.

 Board of education building and site committee members heard all about it during a Thursday morning tour.

Rock Springs, located on N.C. 16 in Denver, serves 512 students, putting it close to capacity. The school can serve between 525 and 550 students.

Within the next five years, the school will need approximately one additional classroom per grade level, Principal Glenda Walker estimated. Student restrooms are needed on the fourth and fifth grade hall where students now share facilities with the second and third grade classes. Walker called this an “immediate need.”

When the new portion of the school was built in 1996, six classrooms went unfilled leaving room for growth.

“That has paid off,” Associate Superintendent Ed Hatley said.

He praised the school’s heat and air condition system and shingled roof. Leaks are easily located and repaired, officials say. The school was able to install the experimental geo-thermal heating and cooling system with help from Duke Energy. Each room has its own unit allowing teachers to adjust temperatures to suit each classroom.

“It has really proved to be very successful,” Hatley said.

The additional bathrooms, workroom for fourth and fifth grade teachers and storeroom for that hall would cost approximately $75,000, Walker said.

No cost was given for the parking lot addition which would create 40 more spaces. PTA meetings and Optimist ball games bring many after hours visitors to the school.

“Our building is constantly being used by other organizations,” Walker said.

Other needs include a school-wide television/VCR system, fencing around the playground, a basketball court, bulletin board strips to hang art in the hallways, additional outside lighting, awning covering sidewalks leading to art and music classrooms, painting the interior and exterior and remodeling of cafeteria bathrooms.

Asbury School Principal Worda James told committee members that she would like to add vocational programs to the alternate school’s curriculum.

“Technical programs are our biggest need, anything hands on,” she said.

Using the system’s School of Technology has proved unsuccessful because it does not offer a low enough student-teacher ratio.

Students come to the school with academic and behavior problems. For some it is a last resort before long term suspension.

The school has seven classrooms in its main structure though two are divided by a wall partition. James estimates four more will be needed within the need five years.

The school has 48 students who come from the county’s middle and high schools. It’s capacity is for 68 students. Two mobile units are in use now.

While the school needs room to grow, it should not become too large, officials say.

“If it’s too large, the students won’t get the one-on-one nurturing they need,” James said.

Committee chairman George Dellinger said the roof was “past due” for repairs.

“It’s in the initial stages. It’s starting to have roof failure,” Hatley said.

 Bats continue to plague the school. Since an old portion of the school was demolished last year, the creatures have migrated to the multipurpose room area used for assemblies and the pottery program.

The committee will continue touring facilities Thursday at West Lincoln Middle and High schools.

Hatley praised the project.

“It gives the board and administrators a chance to set goals to meet for major renovation needs.”

The school’s major renovation fund cannot cover the system’s needs, Hatley said. Annually, $200,000 is available from that fund while millions in repairs are needed system-wide.

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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