New east Burke elementary could be built next to Hildebran

The Burke County Board of Education is poised to take its first official steps toward the construction of a new school in the eastern part of the county. At the annual planning session, which took place on May 5-6, board members agreed to add a resolution to purchase land for the school to the May 12 meeting agenda.

The proposed site for the elementary school, a 10.06-acre plot at 305 3rd St. SW in Hildebran, is owned by Ralph Sain. If the board approves the resolution, the district will pay $675,000 for the land, which shares a border with the current Hildebran Elementary School property.

District leaders will close the aging Icard (built in 1934) and Hildebran (built in 1956) elementary schools when the new school is complete. A distance of 2.7 miles separates the schools.

According to Charlotte-based Cort Architectural Group, the firm overseeing the new build, students are scheduled to move into the new school in the fall of 2028.

The construction project will be funded, in large part, by a $42 million NC Education Lottery grant the district received in February 2024. When the award was announced, administrators said the balance of construction costs will be covered using capital reserve money, meaning the county will likely open the school debt-free.

On Tuesday, architect Hamilton Cort shared with the board results of a pre-purchase survey, which he said deemed the land safe and suitable for school construction. He said once his firm gets the green light to put out an RFQ (request for quotes) for contractors, the two-month schematic design phase can begin.

The board discussed holding at least one and possibly two community input sessions in the Hildebran and Icard communities this fall, which will allow administrators and board members not only to hear from the public regarding plans for the new school, but also to share information about the facility and answer any questions residents may have.

In addition to discussing the east Burke elementary school, the Board of Education also talked about the terms offered in teacher contracts. Currently, Burke County Schools offers all classroom teachers, regardless of experience, one-year contracts, which are reviewed for renewal each spring.

According to state statute, public school teachers employed in their first, second, or third years may only be offered one-year contracts. Teachers who have been employed for more than three years can, according to N.C. Department of Public Instruction policy, be offered contracts of one-, two-, or four-year durations. During the discussion, board members agreed to continue offering one-year contracts to all classroom teachers.

During the planning session, the Board of Education also heard reports, had discussions, and made decisions about a number of other topics. The agenda included:

• Revisions to several board policies, including proposed changes to the district’s grading policy. Board members held a lively discussion concerning teachers’ options in addressing missing student work and the use of zeroes in grading.
• A closed session discussion about school safety and safety audit updates.
• An update from Director of Auxiliary Services Dr. Bob Acord about FEMA projects to repair school campuses damaged during Hurricane Helene, which moved through the area last fall.
• A session about systems the district has in place to support initially licensed teachers (those in their first three years), new principals, and assistant principals.
• A review of proposed changes to several federal procurement policies, as well as amended language revisions to policies because of changes in federal regulations. Those changes primarily included the removal of wording about diversity and equity regulations.