By Cornelius Elementary school will be one of the stops on the media tour for this week as the district displays the urgent need for repairs and rebuilds to its campuses. The purpose of the media tour is to help the public understand the critical nature of the needs of the district.
Zaira Gomez, former principal at Cornelius who is now working in district management in the South Division, said schools in the district are using far too many dilapidated temporary buildings.
For example, Cornelius has nearly 800 students, 300 of whom are in temporary facilities with damage to roofs, floors and walls and restrooms from weather and age.
The cafeteria, the only indoor open space for assemblies and events — has a maximum capacity of 420 — and is lacking the necessary air-conditioning and heating due to failing infrastructure.
Bond funds needed
The poor conditions have persisted at Cornelius despite being a magnet campus with steady enrollment, despite recent losses to other schools in the district, she said. Recent flooding swamped administrative offices in the May 16 derecho storm.
Among other issues, the students, teachers and staff face ongoing plumbing problems and a lack of an appropriate number of restrooms. Of the six kindergarten classrooms, only two have restrooms adjacent to the teaching area.
Exterior fencing is inadequate to secure the campus, and Gomez said she has been concerned about that for some time, as she worked at the campus for 17 years.
Other campuses on the schedule
Other schools on the tour are Revere Middle School, Fondren Middle School, Durham and Key Middle School.
Some schools, such as Fondren Middle School, are in dire need of bond funds to address health and safety issues.
