GREENSBORO, N.C. — Parents and student-athletes at Grimsley High School still have questions about Guilford County Schools' plan to rebuild a middle school where its softball and baseball fields sit.
GCS recently approved moving forward with a project that would place Kiser Middle School on two of Grimsley's athletic fields. The middle school is one of eight schools getting rebuilt using money from the $300 million bond passed in 2020.
The plan impacts about 200 students. It could take years to build new fields.
Those involved have voiced frustrations in recent weeks. We spoke with board members to get clarity on the project.
Why that location?
Architects surveyed four different locations for Kiser. They all agreed Grimsley presented the best option.
"[Architects] all came back with one consistent answer, and that was that placing the new Kiser building here on the fields is not only the most structurally viable the most traffic viable, but also the most cost-efficient," GCS board member Deborah Napper told parents Saturday.
How will it be paid by?
The project has two possible funding sources, according to GCS.
People in Guilford County will vote on whether to pass a $1.7 billion bond in May's election. It's part of a larger $2 billion plan to fix run-down facilities in the district, including rebuilding 22 schools and fully renovating 19 others.
If the bond passes, GCS will use money from it to rebuild fields.
The school system has also started selling unused property. It said the total value of the land comes out to more than $2 million.
If the bond does not pass, the district plans to use money from the property sale.
"We want to make the most use of the tax dollars and the bond money," GCS board member Pat Tillman said.
Tillman said the board will fight to make sure it has enough money to build new fields, so the relocation is only temporary.
What happens in the meantime?
Construction is set to begin in the summer of 2022, and officials said it could take until 2025 to build new fields
Tillman said the school board has reached out to Greensboro Parks and Rec. and local universities to see if Grimsley can use their facilities until they have a permanent location.
Parents said they want more clarity.
"We are still left with lots of questions like, 'Where will our athletes practice and play,'" Brandy Adams, Grimsley parent and booster club president, said at an event Saturday. "There's just way too many questions on if they do find a location for us to practice and play. We don't even know how our student-athletes will get there."