Few questions raised during meetings about new elementary school

The artwork lining the halls of Icard Elementary School will find a new home in less than three years. That’s when the sounds of class in session will move about three miles down U.S. Highway 70 to a new two-story elementary school — a $55 million investment that school officials say will transform educational infrastructure in the county’s eastern region.

The yet-to-be-named school will replace Icard and Hildebran elementary schools and be constructed on property adjacent to the current Hildebran school.

DESIGN & SAFETY

“Newer schools are designed with collaboration spaces that give individualized teaching opportunities,” said architect Hamilton Cort as he presented to about 30 people at an informational meeting at Icard Elementary on Tuesday, Sept. 30. A similar meeting was held two days later at Hildebran Elementary.

The design will include informal meeting areas and collaborative zones that support 21st-century educational approaches, Cort added.

“My hope is that our community will see that our intentions with this new project, this new school, will be something that will be empowering to our students,” said school board member Leslie Ritchie Taylor, “so that they feel more successful and that they know that they’re cared about.”

Dr. Bob Acord, BCPS director of auxiliary services, explained that a comprehensive safety audit conducted last fall revealed critical vulnerabilities, which became a driving force in the new school’s design.

When one person questioned the safety of a multi-level building during a potential security threat, safety expert Brent Morgan of American Priority Project acknowledged that stairwells can be “pinch points,” but added that any hallway or doorway can also be a bottleneck. He said officers are trained to secure sensitive areas, and in some cases, a second floor can even be an advantage.

State law requires students in K-2 to be on the ground floor, and a one-level school is not possible on the acreage available. Safety features will include keyless entry systems, secure classrooms, and numbered windows to aid law enforcement in emergencies.

No one at the Icard meeting questioned the need for newer facilities. Attendees noted the shortcomings of existing schools: no fencing around playgrounds, doors facing busy roads, inadequate traffic stacking, and undersized cafeterias.

“We all realize this is the oldest school in the district,” said Melissa Barnes, secretary of the East Burke Youth Athletic Organization (EBYAO).

EBYAO leaders attended to voice concerns about how construction might impact recreation teams that serve children from Icard, Hildebran, and East Burke Middle. Rick Barnes, EBYAO president and a former Hildebran student, said he had no nostalgia for the older schools.

“I’m not sentimental,” he said. “I want to look forward.”

Superintendent Dr. Mike Swan assured them that athletic opportunities would continue and even gave out his personal cell number to keep the discussion going. The new campus will feature a full-size gymnasium, auditorium, and multipurpose fields designed to serve both the school and the community.

FUNDING AND TIMELINE

The project became possible when the N.C. Education Lottery approved a $42 million grant in February 2024. The district will add $13 million from its capital reserves to cover the $55 million price tag.

To meet grant requirements, BCPS must break ground by February 2027. Detailed construction drawings are expected next year, with work beginning in the 2026-27 school year.

The fate of the current Icard Elementary building remains undecided. Hildebran Elementary, however, will be demolished to make room for parking at the new school.

“When visiting the eastern side of the county, I see a lot of pride,” BOE Chair Tiana Beachler said to those who attended Tuesday’s meeting. “I see a lot of culture, and we want to make sure that we are highlighting that to the best of our ability. … These kids should have every opportunity as any other kids in the district.”