School futures up for discussion at Campbell County meeting
(excerpt from “School Futures up for discussion at Campbell County meeting”, The News & Advance, October 20, 2010)
“For more than four hours on Wednesday, about 120 Campbell County parents, students, business people and government and school leaders got together to talk about the future of the county’s school system.
What schools need refurbishing? How big should classes be? Should there be magnet schools for specialties like medicine and art?
The meeting, a first for the county, is a significant early step toward a plan for county school buildings for the next 20 years.
Two consulting firms hired by the division are studying school buildings and gathering opinions in preparation for a report to be released in January.
…All but one group answered yes to the question, “Do you believe high schools in Campbell County should offer magnet or thematic programs?
A magnet or thematic program would be an area of specialty at a school. Some or all students might participate, for example, in classes geared toward medical professions, or visual and performing arts.
The near-unanimity surprised and pleased consultant Michael Ross with HBA Architecture.
Currently the division offers no magnet or thematic programs at individual high schools, Ross said, although it does offer technical and early college programs for high school students at the division’s centrally located technical center.”