District seeks new home for alternative school

County school officials are looking for a new home for the district’s alternative school program.

The school, established for students who have been in trouble or who could benefit from an alternative to the traditional classroom setting, will be housed in its current location on Tryon Street in Hillsborough until June 30, 2006.

The district plans to have a new alternative school location open that fall.

While a few locations have been suggested in the past, including a wing in the basement of Orange High School, a site near A.L. Stanback Middle School had the attention of the Orange County Board of Education on Monday.

“It’s more cost effective to put it there because it’s on land that we already own,” county schools spokeswoman Anne D’Annunzio said about the Stanback site.

A public hearing will be held at 6 p.m. March 7 to garner feedback on relocation possibilities.

Regardless of where it relocates, the school will continue to operate without interacting with other schools, as it does now.

The proposal discussed Monday states that at the new location, students at the alternative school will have no need to be on the campus of any other district facility.

But a new location might bring several other changes, which the board discussed Monday.

Superintendent Shirley Carraway said she hopes to see the program expand when the location is changed.

“We’re hoping that we will be able to accommodate up to 50 (students),” she said.

She said this number will have to be adjusted based on the site chosen and most likely will be between 30 and 50.

D’Annunzio said there are about 19 children enrolled in the program now, but that the number varies.

She said that since beginning the program, the district has wanted to expand its capabilities to ensure that all students’ needs are met.

“Everything that we do fills a niche somewhere,” she said.

Carraway said there might be others besides suspended students who could benefit from the program.

Another change discussed would be dividing high school and middle school students into separate facilities at the new location.

According to the proposal, such a school would be composed of two modular units, as well as an administrative building and restroom facilities.

D’Annunzio said using modular units — which are not built as temporary facilities — would help to save time and money.

Board member Al Hartkopf asked whether services could be improved through collaboration with Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools on the alternative school.

City schools have their own alternative school, Phoenix Academy, located on Merritt Mill Road.

But Carraway said students seem to be better served by learning closer to their homes.

And although county staff recommended the Stanback site, board member Elizabeth Brown asked if using the property for the program was in the best interest of the middle school.

“I am hearing that Stanback needs another practice field,” she said.

Board Chairwoman Libbie Hough said they did not want to take away Stanback’s options, which is one reason to hear public feedback on the relocation.

Following its timeline, the board will discuss and approve an alternative location April 4.

Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.