LUMBERTON — A member of the Board of Education for the Public Schools of Robeson County says he will make a motion during the meeting tonight to delay any transfer of fourth-grade students out of Tanglewood and Rowland-Norment elementary schools until at least the 2014-15 school year.
Severeo Kerns said he wants to see what effect the conversion of Southeastern Academy, which is now a private school, into a public charter school will have on crowding at Tanglewood and Rowland-Norment.
“I think we’re jumping the gun a little bit,” said Kerns, who voted against the transfer of fourth-graders from the two schools to Carroll Middle School during a school board retreat last month. “Don’t make the decision to transfer the students this academic year.
“We should wait and see how many students are going to be transferring,” he said. “We know there’s going to be some that will be going to that charter school … .”
Dwayne Smith, whose district includes Tanglewood Elementary and Carroll Middle schools, said that he will second Kerns’ motion.
“That’s a no-brainer,” Smith said. “I’ve got to stand for what’s right … .”
Bosco Locklear joined Kerns and Smith in voting against the transfers at the retreat.
When the school board’s plans became public knowledge, there was a backlash from the local communities, particularly Tanglewood. That included a meeting at Tanglewood Elementary School during which Dwayne Smith and Mike Smith, chairman of the school board, answered questions and concerns from the public.
Dwayne Smith says crowding at the schools, particularly Tanglewood, is because of the high number of out-of-district students attending school there. Almost 25 percent of Tanglewood students live outside the school district.
“Why are you moving in-district kids out to make room for transfers for out-of-district kids?” Dwayne Smith said. “Limit the transfers and set policies in place.”
School officials say there is plenty of room at Carroll Middle School.
School administrators said that 114 third-grade students at Tanglewood and 87 at Rowland-Norment would be affected by the transfer. Assistant Superintendent Walter Jackson also said that five teachers from Tanglewood and four teachers from Rowland-Norment will also be transferred to the middle school to teach fourth grade.
The board will meet at 6 p.m. at the central office at 410 Caton Road.
In other action, the board is expected to:
— Approve an athletic transfer policy that will prohibit students from transferring more than once in any single school year to participate in a sport.
— Name high school marshals.
— Approve leasing the Townsend Middle School gym to the town of Maxton for use as a community center.
— Approve a financial report and budget amendments.
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Your school will now begin the fast track ride down. All those wonderful scores will be a thing of the past. The floodgates are now open and your school will soon be flooded with children your children aren't used to associating with...and it wont work.
Go ahead and fork over the 5 grand a year, your kid is worth it.
To all you out of district parents..enjoy what you will create, a school just like the one in your neighborhood...
ps. It's only a matter of time now...
The decision to move Tanglewood 4th graders to Carol middle was passed by a large margin and those who passed it did so with out a single bit of data to explain there position. You would think that the school board would use more data and less roderick to make these decisions, but once agin politics has won over common sense and facts. As a father of Tanglewood students, I am appalled at the boards decision and their timing of this move. It seems to me that there is a hidden agenda and even after direct questions to the board they could not give any reasons for their decisions.
Who dose the board represent ?!
1. Who are these transfer students?
2. Who has approved these transfers?
3. What reasons are given for the transfer requests?
4. Will the Principle or Board of Education make Public a listing of those students being transferred from outside the district into Tanglewood and tell all of us the reason for each and every transfer and who approved the same?
5. By getting this information we can all understand this issue much better and also bring to light the individuals who have created this problem.
6. Are these transfers Political favors for someone?
Kudos to you Dwayne Smith you have shown yourself to be a fair and courageous Public Servant, Good Luck and Godspeed.