By Susan Dickson
Staff Writer
This past year saw more than the usual degree of change for Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools, with new schools, school board elections and shifts in principals.
While some changes were a loss to the district – the retirement of longtime board member Liz Carter and the death of tireless schools advocate and board veteran Mary Scroggs – change also brought fresh ideas and improvements.
For instance, the school board presented its continuation budget to the Board of County Commissioners this fall rather than waiting until spring, as has been the custom, part of a change in the process that came out of a protracted fight over this year’s budget.
The 2007 county school budget dance was a little trickier than those of years past. In January, the board of commissioners decided they wanted to limit the tax increase to equal debt-service payment increases, since the county had increased the tax rate about six cents in each of the prior two years.
The school board requested a budget increase of $6.8 million, but new County Manager Laura Blackmon recommended a budget that included no increase in the per-pupil allocation and no increase on the Chapel Hill-Carrboro special district tax, resulting in an increase in funding of $535,000. According to school administrators, such a small increase would force schools to make drastic cuts to current programs and to reduce staffing and would preclude expansions to existing programs and the creation of new ones.
After hundreds of parents spoke in favor of raising taxes to fund the schools, the commissioners chose to increase both the county and district tax rates to provide more funding to the schools. But the initial budget recommendations – which were made before the commissioners realized the schools’ funding needs – had school employees worried about their jobs and parents stressed over the potential loss of programs.
Under the new budgeting system, when the board sets their budget goals at a retreat in January, they’ll have more information than in years past, possibly avoiding some of the stresses of the annual budget process.
Among the 2007 schools highlights:
Carrboro High School opens
Carrboro High School opened its doors to more than 600 students in August. The district’s third high school – at the corner of Smith Level and Rock Haven roads – was built with a number of green features, including energy-friendly lights and good use of natural light. Jeff Thomas, former assistant principal of Chapel Hill High School, serves as Carrboro High’s first principal.
Morris Grove Elementary
The Chapel Hill-Carrboro school board voted in December to name the district’s 10th elementary school Morris Grove Elementary, which will open on the corner or Dromoland and Eubanks roads in August 2008. Morris Grove was the name of a black school run by Morris Hogan, a freed slave, on a site adjacent to the new elementary school.
New Culbreth principal
In May, the Chapel Hill-Carrboro school board named Susan Wells as principal of Culbreth Middle School. Wells previously served as principal of Ephesus Elementary School. She replaced Jacqueline Boyd Ellis, who left the district to work in Wake County Schools administration but later returned to serve as principal of Chapel Hill High School.
Shirley Carraway retires from OCS
Orange County Schools Superintendent Shirley Carraway retired in October. Carraway had served as superintendent since 2003, when a possible merger between Orange County and Chapel Hill-Carrboro schools became a hotly debated issue across the county.
New OCS Superintendent
The Orange County School Board in September appointed Durham Public Schools administrator Patrick Rhodes as superintendent. Rhodes served as assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction for Durham Public Schools and prior to that was principal of Orange High School.
Elections
Newcomer Mia Burroughs won the open seat and incumbents Jamezetta Bedford, Mike Kelley and Annetta Streater were returned to the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Board of Education in November. Former board member Liz Carter chose not to run for re-election.
New CHHS principal
The Chapel Hill-Carrboro school board in June appointed Jacqueline Boyd Ellis as principal of Chapel Hill High School. Before coming to Chapel Hill High, Ellis served as director of middle school programs for Wake County Schools and as principal of Culbreth Middle School from July 2003 to January 2007.
Liz Carter retires
Longtime school board member Liz Carter retired from the board in December. Carter, who served on the board for 13 years, has been an advocate for children of color and has emphasized the need to close the minority achievement gap.
New Ephesus principal
The Chapel Hill-Carrboro school board in June appointed Philip Holmes as principal of Ephesus Elementary School. Holmes served as principal of Burton Geo-World Magnet School in Durham Public Schools before returning to Ephesus, where he served as assistant principal from 2004 to ‘06. Holmes replaced Susan Wells, who became principal of Culbreth Middle School.
Mary Scroggs passes away
School board veteran and outspoken schools advocate Mary Scroggs passed away at the age of 85 in April. Scroggs – for whom Scroggs Elementary School is named – served on the school board from 1961 to 1977 and is known for her work toward desegregation as well as for the construction of several schools at a time when schools were extremely overcrowded.
Redistricting
In May, the school board approved an elementary school redistricting plan that will move nearly 500 students to Morris Grove Elementary School when it opens in fall 2008. The plan was revised twice to address concerns of socio-economic balance across the district.
New Estes Hills principal
Estes Hills Elementary School assistant principal Cheryl Carnahan was hired as principal of the school in June. She replaced Dale Mingle, who left the district to serve as principal of Pittsboro Elementary School in Chatham County Schools.