School Start Times to Change
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Much to some parents’ chagrin, high school students may get just what they want on school mornings next year — the chance to sleep later.
North Moore High School, Pinecrest High School and Union Pines High School will all begin at 9 a.m. and dismiss at 4 p.m. when the new school year starts Aug. 25. This past year, high schools began at 8:15 a.m. and dismissed at 3:15 p.m.
The change is a part of the Moore County school system’s consolidated bus plan, which will save the system an estimated $600,000 annually in transportation costs when it goes into effect next year. The plan eliminates 20 buses from the system’s fleet and allows its elementary schools and high schools to share buses by staggering school start times.
Bus drivers will begin their mornings by picking up and dropping off students at elementary schools and then doing routes again to pick up and drop off high school students. Elementary students will not be on buses at the same time as high school students.
Superintendent Susan Purser said Wednesday that the decision to stagger school start times was based on maximizing transportation efficiency, while also placing the biggest change on an age group that would be more adaptable.
“Research indicates that teenagers are better served when their day starts a little bit later,” she said.
Purser added that many high school students already drive, and the school system has always encouraged carpooling as a way of reducing the school system’s carbon footprint. She said the main concern in implementing the plan was that students would not have to get up earlier to ride a bus to school.
“We tried to focus on making sure students are not picked up earlier,” she said. “The rides won’t be longer, but they might be slightly adjusted.”
School system officials say high school students should anticipate a 45-minute shift in their school schedule. For example, if a bus previously dropped off a student at his or her home by 3:45 p.m., that student can expect to arrive home about 4:30 p.m.
‘Different Way’
Because elementary and high schools will share buses, the plan also alters times for the some of the county’s elementary schools as well.
Area I attendance district elementary schools — Cameron, Carthage, Sandhills Farm Life and Vass-Lakeview — will begin at 7:30 a.m. and dismiss at 2:30 p.m.
The two elementary schools in Area II, Highfalls and Westmoore, will begin at 7:45 a.m. and dismiss at 2:45 p.m. Previously, High Falls and Westmoore were operating on the system’s middle school schedule, which begins at 8 a.m. and dismisses at 3 p.m.
Area III elementary schools, which feed into Pinecrest, will begin at 7:45 a.m. and dismiss at 2:45 a.m.
Times for the county’s middle schools — Crain’s Creek, Elise, New Century, Southern and West Pine — will remain unchanged.
The consolidation plan also 0 features fewer bus stops to maximize the fuel efficiency of the vehicles.
Purser said more information on bus stops would be available throughout the summer, when information about student placement is recorded. Principals notified parents of the transportation change for schools last Thursday by a Connect Ed voice mail message.
Purser said the response from parents since the announcement has been that of understanding so far, given the onset of unprecedented budget cuts for the system.
“There are some questions that we’ve had,” she said. “But by and large, we’ve had a pretty supportive response — meaning that some people have indicated that it might not be their druthers, but they certainly understand when we share that we’re saving between $600,000 and $700,000 and what we’ve been able to do is hold on to more teaching positions as a result of that.”
Purser also said she understands how some parents may feel inconvenienced by the changes, but she added that with the various impacts of budget cuts, families have to ultimately evaluate their own situations.
“Our responsibility is looking out for the school resources and how we provide the service to our students,” Purser said. “When we look at individuals, they’ve got to make decisions for their own personal situation. They have to decide what works best for their family.”
Purser added that the school system’s current transportation plan is an anomaly compared with other districts, where sharing buses is a common practice.
Until the Board of Education approved the consolidation plan with its 2011-2012 budget in April, most of the schools have maintained their own buses and run separate routes.
However, Southern Pines Primary School and Southern Pines Elementary School already share buses, as do Aberdeen Primary and Aberdeen Elementary.
Deputy Superintendent Larry Upchurch said Tuesday that he is telling parents who are concerned about dropping off their children at different schools that they can take advantage of the bus system.
“We have a bus that will pick your child up in one of those settings,” he said.
Of the system’s 12,493 students, roughly 50 percent use the bus to travel to and from school every day, which cost the system roughly $3.5 million for the 2010-2011 year.
“We do provide that transportation for students to get to school,” Purser said. “There are about half of [students] not taking advantage of that option. They may need to look at that in a different way.”
‘Pretty Substantial’ Cuts
When the Board of Education approved its budget, the board expected the worst-case scenario of $12.1 million in state funding cuts.
Based on the N.C. General Assembly’s budget that is now in the hands of Gov. Beverly Perdue, the system is now preparing for an $8.2 million shortfall from the state.
Mike Griffin, chief finance officer for the school system, said it stands to lose a significant amount of transportation funding from the state and see costs shifted to local districts.
The system expects to see a 10 percent reduction in its transportation funding from the state, while also funding student transportation for an additional five days that have been added onto the school year in the state budget.
Griffin said the cost of transporting students for five additional days would cost the system a preliminary estimate of $70,000.
The state also plans to shift the cost of bus replacement to local school districts beginning in the 2012-2013 year, which will add an additional $1 million cost to the system’s budget.
“We’re going to help mitigate that because we are adjusting bus routes and adjusting school times,” Griffin said. “It’s going to adjust our fleet, but at some point in time, that will be an issue we have to deal with.”
Besides significant cuts to transportation, the system has also chosen to reduce programs, close a facility and cut positions.
“We’re talking about 8 percent of our budget being lost in one year,” Purser said. “That’s pretty substantial.”
The system stands to lose 120 positions, though Purser has said that roughly half will be eliminated through attrition.
Personnel began learning this week whether or not they would have a position next year.
“It’s our anticipation that they will pass this budget,” Purser said. “We’ve waited as long as we could wait. We owed it to our staff to let them know where we stand.”
The eliminated positions include four in the central office, six school-based administration (five assistant principals and one principal), 29.5 non-instructional support jobs (custodial and office staff, as well as bus drivers), 38 teaching and instructional support jobs (media center specialists and guidance counselors), as well as 42.5 teacher’s assistants.
Of those lost positions, 17 teaching positions and 9.5 teacher’s assistant positions were eliminated because of the expiration of $5.2 million in federal stimulus funding.
Purser acknowledges that the school system will face challenges with fewer resources this year.
“No one is immune to impact,” she said.
But she added that the system would work with families to help accommodate their needs.
“As we work through this there will be more details that will work out,” Purser said.
Contact Hannah Sharpe hannah@thepilot.com.
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Comments
1starmum 1 year, 11 months ago
All I can say is Love my Charter School! With most parents work schedules High school students will be sitting around campus way before school starts. Poor things. I know mine would have to be there at least 45 minutes early for me to get to work on time.
CC85 1 year, 11 months ago
I had to walk 4 miles to school...and swim 2.
LWHK 1 year, 11 months ago
My question is: has this decision been thought out thoroughly? I see where is is leading to endless opporunities for problems. Also, what about the parents who have high school children who they depend on to pick up their other children at the elementary school and middle schools?
1starmum 1 year, 11 months ago
Agree... Also what are they going to do with teens dropped off 1 hour or more early for their parents to go to work?
DaveyNC 1 year, 11 months ago
Yeah, the folks in the school administration probably didn't think about this much. Instead of looking at ways to save money, they should have polled all parents, gotten all their schedules, asked them what they wanted to do and then arranged for the little darlins to be picked up and delivered according to the whims of the parents.
Bflat 1 year, 11 months ago
One may wonder if our schools were already overstaffed just because the fed money was available. Now, with all those positions (29.5, 42.5, 9.5,) I wonder what the .5 person is going to do. In fact, 120 people are going to be out of jobs which adds to the unemployment lines. Keep all this in mind when it comes time to vote for commissioners again. It seems to me that spending multi millions on a new JAIL to make prisoners more comfortable has taken front seat while education has taken the back seat in Moore County. Poor planning for educational funding, closing down the #1 school over a 500,000 budget shortfall just doesn't make sense.
proudmom83 1 year, 11 months ago
Academy Heights is closed - get over it !! How involved are you in the school system - do you help out during the school year and volunteer, do you attend meetings and provide input or do you just complain when a decision is made you don't like. Be part of the solution not the problem.
Bflat 1 year, 11 months ago
Presumptions that anyone would want to get over it does not promulgate solutions to the education problems in the schools; The facts still need to be put in front of others In addition to my degree plus a minor in Education, I will continue to support schools and education as long as I live and am able. Yes, I've done many things to strongly support schools in the past 43 years:: PTA, Steering committees, fundraising (I have cooked many times for suppers, bake sales & flipped many pancakes, washed up huge pots & cleaned the kitchen!), volunteered at a High School to help those students behind in reading & math, school grounds beautification, substitute teacher, test proctor, adopted a class to provide supplies to teacher for student projects, All this has gone beyond the 12 years my 2 children were in school.
Serving on those committees helped the schools & the students, but it will NOT solve problems that are the real source of demise of Academy Heights and the current problems in the entire school system. Unless you are prepared to fight to fix that by making your voice heard to the right people and at the voting booth, then we are going to next encounter the closing of the year round schools, unsightly leased trailers at West Pines (spending more money), and the same substandard results that are no longer fueled by federal funding that just ended.
Did you know that we now have good teachers that are going to leave this profession? There are several applying for other jobs that say they will never teach in the Moore County Schools again. This is not anything to do with AH but the overall problem is our schools is overwhelming the teachers in a negative way.
Please be invoved by researching the real problems and the proper manner to go about voicing the facts and your opinions to your school board members, writing letters to them, and be sure to make your voice heard to the County Commissioners for proper funding of education. (They knew long ago that this budget shortfall was coming but were busy with the JAIL project.) The days of just waiting until something happens, funding ends, having to cut back and falling into the same ole rut needs to end. Blindly casting a vote without knowing the issues and the candidates needs to end along with the good ole boys political club in the county, or else we will continue the same predicament we're in right now. You also need to contact your state representative & the Governor.
soccermom 1 year, 11 months ago
AHES is closed. But we will not forget!
BTW - this school has just placed #1 in the state of NC & #2 in the nation for it's participation in the First in Math program (they've matched this performance in past years). As well as consistently placing in the top five performing school for the state of NC, They are one of a very few schools that still hold an annual Science Fair.
This school had the recipe for success that should have served as an example for the entire district. Small school, involved parents, strong PTA, committed teachers and staff.
The savings which Dr. Purser stated would come from closed AHES was set at $500,000 when the her proposal to the BOE was originally announced. This dropped to $375,0000, when the BOE elected to keep the year-round program in Pinehurst, and now the BOE is purchasing three new mobile classrooms to accommodate the AHES students moving to WPES, AND the BOE has announced that they will be constructing new three to five new classrooms at the cost of $1.7 million, just to be able to handle current student population. WHERE IS THE SAVNGS, DR PURSER?
The decision to close AHES, was shameful. Dr. Purser totally botched it on this one, and the BOE followed her recommendations (all except Dale Frye). They all need to get their suitcases out when election time rolls around.
Arestorer 1 year, 11 months ago
My question is: has this decision been thought out thoroughly?
I wonder the same thing every time I read about decisions that the School board has made..
proudmom83 1 year, 11 months ago
If you don't like the decison - get involved - be part of the solution - not the problem.
Arestorer 1 year, 11 months ago
I think its time to go see ol' Dale Frye......
commonsense77 1 year, 11 months ago
So this has been done in other counties in North Carolina and many other states to conserve funds. The school I went to DOWN SOUTH of here did it over 20 years ago. But again the "Conservative" Moore County crowd whines...
Arestorer 1 year, 11 months ago
How about the Administration jobs all get a cut in pay....... Then they would have the money to keep funding for Academy Hieghts...
proudmom83 1 year, 11 months ago
No need to beat a dead hores- its done - get over it. Time to move on to a new problem.
Bflat 1 year, 11 months ago
That same problem that led to the demise of AH is still with us. I don't plan to get over it but to do something about it.....in the right way. A huge can of worms is being opened by Dr Purser in making the schedule changes and many have yet to grasp the consequences.
theresa99 1 year, 11 months ago
And, I am just wondering...when will the high school students have time to finish their homework? Do their projects? Eat dinner? Go to after school functions? Attend sports practices? Not all kids are "A" students and can get their homework done in a half hour. Some need more time. What are the kids going to do when it takes an hour to get home? (the high school bus rolls down my block currently an hour and 5 minutes AFTER it lets out. So, now next year our kid will come home AFTER 5pm. That just does not sound good at all to me.
1starmum 1 year, 11 months ago
Also when will they have time for part-time jobs?
proudmom83 1 year, 11 months ago
Another situation where parents will have to be responsible for their children - I would hope that your household is not dependent on a teenagers income from a part-time job.
proudmom83 1 year, 11 months ago
Maybe they can take advantage of the extra time in he morning to do homework - they don't have to sleep late. Maybe you can take responsibility for your own child and pick them up at school yourself ?? If you are there to see the bus go by "an hour and 5 minutes" after school is out, make the effort and pick him/her up. How many times do families eat dinner before 5 ?? Students will handle this situation the way they see their parents handle it - if you are whining about so will they. Work together to find a solution.
DaveyNC 1 year, 11 months ago
How dare you take a proactive position on this! You are supposed to whine that you have not been fully catered to.
Bflat 1 year, 11 months ago
Too many presumptions adds to the problems. Solid facts can lead to solutions. Do not be so quick to think that people are whining. There are some people who really do know the right way to work toward solutions.
member 1 year, 11 months ago
I'm going to go ahead and make the prediction that much of the athletic team practices will now be held before school begins. This will still allow students time after school to attend functions, do homework and have dinner with their families. If your child is not involved in extracurriculars, they will now have additional time in the morning to get work done, or they can stay up a little later to do it since they won't have to get up as early.
It's change, and change is hard but this makes pretty decent sense to me. Where I come from K-12 students are all on the same bus. I appreciate that this is not the case here, so we need to make some adjustments. This is another lesson to the children that plans change, and we choose to make the best of it or complain about it the entire time.
proudmom83 1 year, 11 months ago
Wonderful reply - So happy to see some support for our schools administration.
techiejames 1 year, 11 months ago
Are you actually concerned the high school students will not have enough time to do homework or go to work? Puhleeze! Firstly, you should depend on your high school student to help pay the bills. If they want one, they can get one; but then again, employers will understand--they have no choice. High school students naturally stay up late anyway; they will have time for homework. And just as naturally they stay up late, they will wake up late as well--its just natural. This new start time will help them be at school on time, and alert ready to learn. Everyone wins and test scores WILL go up!
xemrac 1 year, 11 months ago
Expect A LOT of tardy slips with a 7:30 am start.....
proudmom83 1 year, 11 months ago
Parents will have to responsible adults and adjust. Its not the childs fault if they are late.
Alistener 1 year, 11 months ago
Parents will have to understand that the schools are not free babysitters. No parent should drop their child off at school - without supervision - AN HOUR before classes start! Teachers have families, too, and can't be expected to come in and babysit for free - all for parent convenience. Make arrangements, parents. And why are you concerned about their after-school jobs? Employers will understand - school SHOULD come first.
DaveyNC 1 year, 11 months ago
Bingo.
gardengirl 1 year, 11 months ago
Alistener and proudmom83 - thank you!
None 1 year, 11 months ago
It is sad there has been no solid leadership in our school system since Bob Lee retired. The concept is good. But, Dr. Purser continuing to say she will work with individual families is baloney. Her salary is more than the Governor makes and she is hardly worth it. We could easily save a great deal by eliminating her position. Dr. Upchurch is correct in recommending that we utilize the bus system. However, that brings to light another problem. The bullying and other bad conduct on the buses in Moore County is unprecedented. Not to mention a few incompetent or otherwise corrupt drivers. We need to put monitors on each bus to help with unruly students and to keep drivers accountable. Preferably well screened volunteers. Otherwise don't expect parents that don't have to put there children on a bus to do so. Things change for the good when you change the way you look at things. Change takes you ultimately to the next step. Under the current Administration the more things change its seems that the problems increase. The idea in making changes should be to resolve problems not create new ones.
None 1 year, 11 months ago
This might be the dumbest comment ever on the thepilot.com.
Dr. Purser has done an excellent job since she came on board.
Bullying, if it is a problem, is hardly unprecedented. There has been misbehavior on buses since there have been buses.
How can a bus driver be corrupt? Are you saying that there are bus drivers who take bribes to........what? Stop at someone's house earlier? Knock on your door so that your kid doesn't have to wait outside? Just ridiculous.
Put a volunteer monitor on each bus? OK, you first.
The administration is creating problems instead of resolving them? Did you read the article? This change resolves 600,000 problems.
"Better to keep your mouth closed and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt"
None 1 year, 11 months ago
You make some great points - love it !!
None 1 year, 11 months ago
As I understand from a bus driver, they cannot put one finger on a child who is riding their bus. If they try to break up a confrontation just by stepping between two students who are having a disagreement, they lose their jobs. He said they video the incident, report it to the principle, and write a report. Next day same students and same issues.
None 1 year, 11 months ago
"Dr. Purser has done an excellent job since she came on board." If you define the unnecessary closing of one of the better schools in Moore County and the subsequent mess after that as 'an excellent job' then I am not so sure who has made the 'dumbest comment ever on the thepilot.com'.
None 1 year, 11 months ago
I define keeping all the other schools running in a time of economic stress as a success.
None 1 year, 11 months ago
The School Board and County Commissioners knew what was about to transpire when the Republicans won the November election. Dr. Purser and the board thought they would submit a budget and the MCBoC would just hand over the cash. Worked in the past....
IcanSee 1 year, 11 months ago
This is great. All the conservatives in the county are always talking about cutting government spending. Then when the school system adopts changes that save money and moves high school start times to the time of day where teenagers actually learn more, everybody complains about it.
Bflat 1 year, 11 months ago
The change is going to lead to more serious problems than it solves, so wait till next school year to see that.
gardengirl 1 year, 11 months ago
no it won't, so we'll wait until next school year to see that. promise.
Bflat 1 year, 11 months ago
You are missing the fact that this county does not have its priorities in place for education and neither does Purser. All the smooth talk is just that...sounds good to a lot of people but it is not going to meet the educational needs of this county. Progress is not being made and meanwhile the educational funding needs is sinking lower than Blackbeard's ship.
None 1 year, 11 months ago
And most TEA Nuts don't have school aged children...their legislative pawns are doing their jobs as they are told. Cut - Cut - Cut until NC is below Dr. Susan Pursers former employer, Mississippi....we are on our way. However, we have a really nice training center and detention center. Priorities?
None 1 year, 11 months ago
What did one expect when we took God out of schools??? It's no wonder we have to build more detention centers and close schools!!!!
AJG 1 year, 11 months ago
Let me see, someone stated that we’ve solved 600,000 problems. The question is what does this really cost?
Most students from the high schools get jobs in the Southern Pines area or the Asheboro area. Do you really think employees are going to wait for them to get out of school? The students from Union Pines are now going to have a harder time getting job. Poor North Moore students are out of luck. These jobs, by the way, are in many cases to pay for college, not support the students parents.
When will kids leaving for sports really have to leave and how much class will they miss. A 5:30 start time with forty-five minutes to travel with another forty-five minutes warm up means at least 3:30. This will be from the same class multiple times. Oh, this will also affect varsity who will also be travelling on the same bus but be enrolled in far more difficult classes. Yeah, that’s really in the best interest of education.
What about career related experiences, younger siblings that these high school students take care of, etc… This is more that just an inconvenience, this hasn’t been well thought out. How many of these students will be forced to drop out of high school? How many of these students will not attend college out of high school because of rising costs and a lack of money?
How many other surrounding counties have this type of quasi schedule? Poor low income Hoke? Scotland? Richmond? I don’t think so. With our financial resources we can’t figure out another way.
There is a solution! Did anyone notice that 5 assistant principals are being released compared to only four central office staff? Aren’t there three to four more times these employees compared to the AP’s? Don’t several of these people make more that an AP? With this economy last year, Dr. Purser saw fit to bring in the high salaried replacement. (The name escapes me) How many high salaried people are there at the building in Carthage? That is a better 600,000 reason solution that ripping the foundation of our high school students apart, isn’t it?
DaveyNC 1 year, 11 months ago
Item 1. Not a school issue, personal issue for the students.
Item 2. Nobody said it would be easy. Maybe some kids might choose to place their education as a higher priority over extra-curricular activities. You can't have everything, contrary to the beliefs of many in this country.
Item 3. "How many of these students will not attend college out of high school because of rising costs and a lack of money?" Can't see how changing the high school schedule affects this at all. This problem exists no matter when the school day starts.
Item 4. How is what other counties do relevant to the needs of Moore County? The point is that our financial resources are strained and this is one way to save a few teachers' jobs, which has to be the priority here. Kudos to the administration for digging deep to find a way to keep them.
I don't think shifting a schedule is ripping the foundation of students apart. I think not having enough teachers is ripping the foundation apart. Studies show that teens do better when they start later in the day, anyway.
AJG 1 year, 11 months ago
What other counties do is as relevant to this county as the studies on educational practices are. If other counties with less resources can figure out how to get the job done, why can’t Moore County? If we truly feel that a savings of $600,000 is in the best interest of students because starting later will benefit them more, why haven’t we don’t this before? Also, this doesn’t excuse the fact that the county’s administration has not been financially prudent. If we keep things the same with time, then the $600,000 should still be cut from the administration in order to keep more teacher’s and teacher assistants in the classrooms.
DaveyNC 1 year, 11 months ago
Here's how one of those counties with fewer resources is coping. 24 teachers cut in Hoke: http://fayobserver.com/articles/2010/12/07/1053765
Hoke is thinking out of the box, maybe: "The board also voted unanimously to approve a new $1.3 million reading software program that teaches reading and language skills to students of all ages, abilities and levels." Replacing teachers with software. How would that go over here in Moore County?
Finally, AJG, this statement is off-point altogether: "Also, this doesn’t excuse the fact that the county’s administration has not been financially prudent." We aren't talking about the county here, we are talking about the school system. Even if it were on point, as written it is merely your opinion, not a fact.
You seem to have a grudge against the school administration. Why don't you run for the Board of Education and institute some of your marvelous management skills and methods? I'm sure that in these tough time, expertise would be welcomed with open arms.
28 teachers cut in Scotland County: http://fayobserver.com/articles/2011/02/22/1073236?sac=Scotland
Also, Scotland is "...considering closing two school buildings and ending the Scotland Accelerated Academy for at-risk elementary students."
The Pilot article doesn't say how many teachers are being cut here, "38 teaching and instructional support jobs (media center specialists and guidance counselors)", it seems that the administrations' steps are in line with the surrounding counties.
AJG 1 year, 11 months ago
Okay so county was used instead of school system. I would agree with you that Dr. Purser had done a good job for Moore County Schools. I’m not so sure that I would agree with that anymore. The facts are that the School Administration in Carthage has maintained the same budget for their staff for the last four years give or take a few dollars. They closed a school against documented research that supports the educational advantage of smaller schools. In the same breath as this article, they are now expanding West Pine Elementary to accommodate the students coming from the closed school. That means the money saved closing the school is now less. As far as the times schools are going to run, it really doesn’t bother me one way or the other. However, if we are going to run our schools for the students and their needs, we must address all the issues. As far as the opinion, there is more money being spent on personnel in this county that aren’t in direct contact with students than you realize. Those are facts that have nothing to do with any grudge. However, the reason that our administration in Carthage is not taking a significant cut with all other areas of the school system is something that needs to be addressed.
DaveyNC 1 year, 11 months ago
AJG, you must have broken your fingers when you typed this: "I would agree with you that Dr. Purser had done a good job for Moore County Schools." and then in THE VERY NEXT SENTENCE: "I’m not so sure that I would agree with that anymore."
Wha...?
And then, "As far as the times schools are going to run, it really doesn't bother me one way or the other.? Again, "Wha...?" A few comments earlier, you said that we were ripping the foundation out of education with this change.
Dude (or Dudette), you're all over the place. You don't know what you think.
And yet. And yet you persist that more needs to be cut from the administration office in Carthage, inferring the cuts there to be "insignificant". This PDF: http://www.ncmcs.org/190610224111351400/lib/190610224111351400/2009-2010_Staff_Summary.pdf shows 34 staffers in the central office. Cutting 4 of them is nearly a 12% cut in staff. A double digit cut is significant.
I'll say it again: Run for the School Board if you are so certain that you can do better.
Bflat 1 year, 11 months ago
The complexities of the economy along with the political machine of the county has weakened the foundation of the schools system. If you do not understand that, then consider that there is some swamp land with artesian wells in Carthage that was purchased at well over market price to build a multimillion$ JAIL/public safety complex. Several hundred thousand$ of architectural plans were trashed when all governmental buildings could not be built due to wetlands on this property. Where was proper planning for the intended purpose? This money could have been spent to keep the #1 school open and to fund other worthy educational projects. I will not get over it but will continue to inform the public of the shortfalls of 3 county commissioners who have mishandled taxpayer money and public trust in Moore County while busy with their federal sized JAIL project with a limited obligation bond that does not require a public referendum. It will cost over $55 million and only 10 of that is for some public utilities.
Check out that information and then you will get a feel for the real problems facing Moore County. It's all a matter of public record. One more time: Multimillion $$$$$ federal sized JAIL (bigger than needed, at higher cost & located across from the elementary school) OR properly funded education in the county,
The announcement of further loss of positions (120) and further changes to schedules will not solve the county's problems. Until enough people realize the real problem and do something about it, it will just get worse.