Public meetings begin for Richmond County Schools master plan
AUGUSTA, Ga (WJBF)- Monday night, the first of 6 public forums will be held to discuss the 5 to 10 year Master plan for the Richmond County School System.
The current proposal includes opening new facilities, closing a few schools and consolidating others.
Since the news broke that the Richmond County School System was looking to make changes that included the closing of several schools, it has been a hot topic on social media.
This has created some concern and a lot of questions.
Starting Monday, the school district is inviting parents, staff, alumni and even current students to attend these meetings, not only to get information but also to voice those concerns and ask those questions.
Many are upset because some schools would close and others would merge, including Glenn Hills High School and TW Josey High School.
School board chairman, Charlie Walker, said that while some of these changes may be hard, they are all in the best interest of the students.
“At the end of the day, if Richmond County wants to get a better education system for the kids who are currently in school…I went to Tutt 47 years ago. Loved the experience there. But the kids who are at Tutt Middle School right now are the ones that are having to deal with the things that we either can or can’t provide to them. And so my 47 years ago experience of being at Tutt doesn’t come into play with what’s going on right now,” Walker explained.
The sessions will explain a proposed Facilities Master Plan with a focus on goals for the first year and details for the next 5 to 10 years.
These are recommendations from Georgia Strategy Group, a consultant firm hired by the district.
The goal of the plan is to provide students with the best possible education, in the best facilities with the best resources available.
Walker hopes as many people as possible attend these meetings.
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“There will be an opportunity to answer any question. And these meetings have no time frame. They have a start time, but they don’t have an end time. They’re willing to stay there and do whatever is ever necessary, not to try to convince you that your point is correct, but to try to get you to understand what we’re trying to…what we’re putting out there. So that, like I said, we can move forward with improving the educational standard here in Richmond County,” he said.
Walker stressed that right now the Master Plan is in the planning phase and a lot of changes could be made before the school board’s final vote.
Monday night’s meeting is at 6 p.m. at A. Brian Merry Elementary School on Boy Scout Road.
Take a look at the schedule below:
March 4 at 6 p.m. – A. Brian Merry Elementary School, 415 Boy Scout Road, Augusta, 30909
March 5 at 6 p.m. – Spirit Creek Middle School, 115 Dolphin Way, Hephzibah, 30815
March 6 at 6 p.m. – John M. Tutt Middle School, 495 Boy Scout Road, Augusta, 30909
March 7 at 6 p.m. – Richmond Hill K-8 School, 3420 Julia Avenue, Augusta, 30906
March 11 at 6 p.m. – Belair K-8 School, 3925 Harper Franklin Avenue, Augusta, 30909
March 12 at 3 p.m. – Central Office, Board Auditorium, 864 Broad Street, Augusta, 30901
Click here for a look at the draft recommendations.
Photojournalist: Dania Alawir.
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