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Stressed facilities still top priority for I-SS board

Chyna Broadnax | .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) | Feb. 19, 2008

The top issue on the minds of candidates for the Iredell-Statesville Schools Board of Education won’t surprise anyone.
The current board, administrative staff, teachers and students have been dealing with it for years.

Managing the influx of new students will continue to be priority No. 1 for the school board before, during and after this year’s election, in which three of the seven seats are up for grabs.

With less than two weeks remaining for candidates to file for the District 2, 4 and 6 seats, all three incumbents and two challengers have declared their candidacies by filing the necessary paperwork with the Iredell County Board of Elections Office. Filing ends on Feb. 29.

Dr. David Cash (District 2), Keith Williams (District 4) and Charles Kelly (District 6) are all seeking another term. Former I-SS teacher Mark James will challenge Williams and Morris Roseman will take on Cash.

The challenge for those elected - making sure there is enough classroom space for all of the students - is not as simple as it might seem despite the massive school construction and expansion projects that have been under way for three-plus years.

“Growth is going to be a challenge for us throughout this county,” said Cash, the board’s chairman, who is seeking a third term on the board. “There’s a lot of issues and projects we have ahead of us that I’d like to be part of for the next four years.”

Fifteen years ago the district wasn’t keeping up with the growth of the student population, which was about a 6 percent rate and now that it’s at 20 percent, “we’re scrambling to keep up with how far behind the growth put us 15 years ago,” said Kelly, a retired biology instructor at Mitchell Community College.

“The school board has so many things going on,” Kelly said. “I don’t want to step out of that when there’s so much going on. I just want to be part of it.”

The answer to the growth problems could come in the form of converting Mt. Mourne Elementary School into a middle school to alleviate severe overcrowding at Brawley Middle School; building Coddle Creek Elementary on Presbyterian Road; and possibly rezoning attendance lines.

Other issues include completing Phase II construction and beginning Phase III.

Phase II construction is scheduled for Celeste Henkel Elementary, East Iredell Elementary, building Coddle Creek, Northview/ Ebenezer Elementary, Shepherd Elementary, South Iredell High and Statesville Senior High. Phase III includes work at Cool Spring Elementary, Lake Norman Elementary and Union Grove.

While preparing for future growth is a major issue, it’s not the only one.

“A major concern of mine is closing the achievement gap,” Williams said. “We’ve made some significant strides, but we’re just not there yet.”

Cash wants to continue to support I-SS teachers, especially those seeking National Board recertification. Under the current board, the district has been able to decrease dropout rates, implement the freshman academy and plan for the Visual and Performing Arts Magnet School, he said.

“I really enjoy the work. I feel like we’ve got a lot accomplished in eight years. There’s still a lot of projects to be done,” he said.

Roseman, his challenger, could not be reached for comment.
James may not be an incumbent, but he is no stranger to I-SS. After teaching at South Iredell High for 20 years, he left six years ago because he was unhappy with the direction the district was taking.

“I got disheartened with some of the things going on,” said James, who currently teaches at Salisbury High School in Rowan County. “You can’t change things from the outside, but maybe you can make changes from the inside.

“As a school board member I could possibly make a bigger difference.”

He understands the district is the middle of a major building boom and wants to make sure the district is prepared for the growth. Part of his platform is to ensure students are prepared for the 21st century job market.

“The world is changing and we’ve got to keep up so we have to make sure our schools and technology are up to par with what’s going on in the world,” he said.

When Williams was elected eight years ago, he was motivated to do so because he wanted to give back to his community.

Since then, he’s seen the school system at its lowest point and he’s seen it spring out of it. He’s proud of that progress and notes increases in the local teacher supplement as a major achievement.

Now, Williams is focused on helping make I-SS one of the state’s 10 best school districts and on working to increase the number of quality minority educators within the system.
“There are things I want to see done and I want to be part of that,” he explained.

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