County to receive $1.17 million for SMHS renovations

By Lynn Hotaling

North Carolina's State Board of Education approved the allocation of Qualified Zone Academy Bonds for planned renovations at Smoky Mountain High School. The local school system and county commissioners applied for the interest-free loans in December. Eligibility for the federal program is determined by the high school's percentage of students who qualify for free or reduced-cost lunches.

Commitment from private entities and establishment of an "academy" within the high school are requirements to qualify for the bonds, said former Superintendent Frank Burrell, who led the effort to receive the funds. The local application names Southwestern Community College and Harris Regional Hospital as "partnering businesses" and lists their annual financial contribution as $44,160 per year during the 10-year term of the bonds. SCC will contribute some $27,000 through scholarships to New Century Scholars, and HRH will provide opportunities for HOSA students to gain practical experience at estimated cost of about $14,000.

State guidelines allow community colleges and universities to be defined as "private entities" for application purposes, Burrell said.

"This money will allow them to build a real technology center," Burrell, who retired earlier this year, said of the QZAB award. The former superintendent prepared and submitted the QZAB application during his last few months with the local school system.

To meet bond eligibility requirements, Burrell said, SMHS will establish the Smoky Mountain Academy, which will consist of 200 to 250 students - about one-fifth of the high school's population. Included in the Academy will be all students designated New Century Scholars, who the application defines as "selected youngsters with potential but little means," and students enrolled in Gear Up programs, which Burrell said are aimed at potential first-generation college students who need support to successfully enroll in college.

"The idea is to make the technology services for these students as up-to-date and futuristic as possible. This will offer an extra for the Academy students in that many of their activities will be handled through their connection to the community college. . . Additionally, the Academy population will have connectivity to their homes giving them opportunities to experience the worldwide classroom," the application states.

The $1.17 million in QZAB funds will replace some of the additional funding commissioners planned to secure to complete renovations at SMHS, said school system finance officer David Steinbicker. The county, which holds title to SMHS, will issue the bonds, which must be issued no later than Dec. 31, 2001, said county finance officer Darlene Fox.

QZAB funds can be used for renovation and infrastructure purposes only, said Burrell, and not to purchase equipment. With notification of approval for the bonds, John Cort of Asheville, chief architect for SMHS renovations, brought a different configuration for the high school to the school board March 28.

Members of the Jackson County Board of Education unanimously approved Cort's altered renovation concept, which will enlarge the SMHS media center into a technology center, relocate English classrooms into current guidance and shop space, relocate administration and guidance to the existing cafeteria and construct a new cafeteria and kitchen in the parking lot adjacent to the present cafeteria.

Under the plan, the floor level of the new cafeteria would be the same as that of the existing gymnasium and proposed auxiliary gym, which would allow the new cafeteria to serve as a lobby area for school functions.

Cort agreed to present cost estimates to board members during an April meeting.

Turning to other school system building projects, school system construction coordinator Clarence Hubbell recommended reducing the scope of a planned steam pipe replacement project at SMHS. By closing off some tunnels that are no longer necessary, Hubbell said, cost of asbestos removal and pipe replacement should be about $250,000, down by some $100,000 from the initial $350,000 estimate.

Hubbell reported that progress is continuing at the new Scotts Creek School.

"They should be able to have eighth-grade graduation in the auditorium," Hubbell said.

With regard to additions at both county high schools, Hubbell said the roofs were going on at both SMHS and Blue Ridge. The new workforce addition at SMHS is on schedule, Hubbell said, and "phenomenal progress" has been made at Blue Ridge.

Back to Archive: 04/05/01.