School system's building program in high gear
Construction of new and expanded school facilities reached its high
est level in Wake County’s history this past year as Phase I of the
building program was completed. In just three years, construction
spending for school facilities increased from $5 million in 1985-86 to
$57 million in 1988-89. Five new schools and expansions at six high
schools were among the major projects completed for this school
year. In addition, seven other existing schools were expanded or
renovated through Phase I.
The school system’s building program was launched in 1985 when
voters overwhelmingly supported the first of two school bond refer
endums. The second bond referendum, overwhelmingly approved in
1988, includes partial funding for Phase II construction which runs
from 1989 to 1994. Eleven new schools, expanded or renovated facili
ties at 44 existing schools, and the air conditioning of all schools are
planned during this second phase.
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NEW FACILITIES WHICH OPENED THIS FALL ARE:
New Schools
❖ Brassfield Road Elementary in north
ern Wake County
❖ East Wake Middle (replacing Whitley
Middle which merged with the East Wake
High campus)
❖ Fox Road Elementary in northeastern
Wake County
❖ Penny Road Elementary in Cary
❖ Wake Forest-Rolesville Middle (replace
ment campus)
Expansions and Renovations
❖ Apex High (600-student addition, cafe
teria expansion, auxiliary gym)
❖ Broughton High (athletic complex)
❖ Cary High (400-student addition, aux
iliary gym, media center, cafeteria ex
pansion, renovations)
❖ East Wake High (administration
building and renovations)
❖ Garner High (600-student addition,
cafeteria expansion, auxiliary gym. me
dia center)
❖ Sanderson High (400-student addi
tion, 800-seat auditorium)
❖ Wake Forest-Rolesville High (600
student addition, 600-seat auditorium,
cafeteria expansion, gym)
Broughton High was proud to display this outstanding stadium
which was completed for the fall
football season.
ALL SCHOOLS TO BE AIR-CONDITIONED
While Phase II of the
building program will
bring air conditioning
to every school by the
end of 1994. schools
included in Phase I began
receiving air condition
ing this year. Kingswood
Elementary is now air
conditioned. arid five
high schools being ex
panded should have air
conditioning by the end
of 1989.
Most of the instruc
tional spaces sys
temwide will be air
conditioned by the end
of 1992. Priorities, in
most cases, depend on
other construction
Most instructional spaces will be air-conditioned
by the end of 1992. Here a worker installs
a system at Gamer High.
planned for the same school. AH air
conditioning projects will be completed
by the end of 1994.
Providing cool and comfortable
classrooms will not only enhance teach
ing and learning but will also allow for
greater school and community use of
the facilities.
PHASE I
Crowded conditions are easing in many
schools as a result of the completion of
Phase 1 projects. Also, for the first time
since the 1970s, the school system is
using fewer trailers to house students.
Last year the system used 522
trailers to meet the demand
for classrooms. This year
at least 75 fewer trailers
were required. The older,
singlewide trailers, some
of which have been in use
for over 20 years, were
the first to be removed from
schools.
Facility improvements are
benefiting students at many schools
by providing larger classroom spaces, ad
vanced science laboratories, and new me
dia centers with plenty of working space
for teachers and media specialists. In ad
dition to improved facilities, expansions
at Cary and Gamer high schools allowed
the system to move to a middle school or
ganization throughout the county. Now
sixth through eighth graders are served in
middle schools while ninth through 12th
graders attend high schools.
PHASE II
By 1992, projections indicate that the system
will be gaining close to 3,700 students a
year. Recognizing that Phase I would not
be enough to cope with this continuing
growth, the Wake County Board of
Education initiated in 1987 a
second phase of planning and
construction.
Phase II, a $200 mil
lion construction effort,
will provide 11 new
schools, expansions/
renovations at 44 exist
ing schools, and air condi
tioning at all schools.
Construction is already
under way on Leadmine Road and
Rand Road elementary schools. Both are
scheduled to open for the fall of 1990.
Planning and design are under way on
three additional elementary schools, sched
uled for opening the fall of 1991. Sites
have been purchased for all but three of
the 11 new schools planned in Phase II.