Wheels were put into motion Tuesday night to pave the way for a combined transportation and fleet maintenance facility to be constructed at the former Page Middle School site on Route 17.
Both the Gloucester County Board of Supervisors and the Gloucester School Board adopted resolutions authorizing the county administrator, school superintendent and county attorney to work together to draft an agreement that would transfer ownership of that property from the school system to the county to accommodate both entities’ transportation needs. Once drafted, the agreement would come before both boards for their consideration, most likely by December.
Both the board of supervisors and school board met in a closed session to discuss the matter at the end of a joint meeting, which was held at the T.C. Walker Education Center. During that meeting, a number of other items were also discussed, including a master plan for renovations at Gloucester High School.
Prior to the closed meeting, several different options were presented for the combined transportation facility, which included the former Page site, approximately 25 acres on the current Page site off T.C. Wal-
ker Road and approximately 20 acres to the rear of the T.C. Walker Education Center. The board of supervisors had allocated $30,000 to the school system to work with an architect to provide preliminary plans of how the facility could be placed on each site.
The overall plan would include a school board transportation facility, a county vehicle garage, and a county utility yard and combined warehouse storage so that both entities can buy in bulk and save money.
A combined transportation facility has been on the radar of both boards for quite some time. “This is a very big first step,” said at-large supervisor John Meyer Jr. “We haven’t crossed the ‘T’ or dotted the ‘I’ yet, but our preliminary conclusion is that this is most likely a workable solution … It will also be a test on how well the two boards will work together to reach a common objective.”
The school system has $600,000 in its long-range capital plan for 2018 for a bus compound relocation and an additional $6 million estimated for 2019.
“We’re finally seeing progress on what I think will make the county better, the school system better and will improve the quality of our services to citizens,” added at-large supervisor Ashley Chriscoe.
GHS master plan
Gloucester school system staff also made a presentation Tuesday night about a master plan to conduct a major renovation on Gloucester High School, which they said would prepare students for success in a global economy.
Chuck Wagner, assistant superintendent for instructional services, said that GHS is what is considered a traditional school layout, with blocked off classrooms aligned down a long corridor. However, he said, the new design would better prepare graduating seniors for life after high school.
“It’s time we begin to think differently and prepare our students not just for college, but for a career that may not include college … we need to produce responsible citizens for changing times so that they can survive and prosper in a very dynamic world,” Wagner said.
Such a design, which is estimated to cost just over $43 million, would include more open space for joint collaborative learning as well as more emphasis on spaces for career/technical training.
School staff said the goal this year and in 2017 is to work with the community, parents, students, school staff and professionals to define the educational specifications and create a conceptual design for the major renovation.
This process will begin by opening GHS up on an evening in November to show the documentary film, “Most Likely to Succeed,” which inspires school communities to re-imagine the possibilities for more progressive and innovative teaching and learning for the 21st century. During the documentary, there will be various breaks where the public will be invited to walk around GHS, speak with students and staff, and possibly even alumni about the needs the school is facing.
Following the video, feedback from citizens will be collected and shared with the school board prior to a conceptual design committee being formed, which will include parents, students, school staff, county staff and business professionals. A design team will then be contracted to work with the committee to create conceptual drawings of the renovation.
A recommendation from the committee would then be presented to the community prior to moving forward to the school board or board of supervisors. Once a design is approved by both boards, the process would move forward with preparation of the engineering design and specifications; with renovations potentially beginning in 2018-2019.
“It’s not our goal to push through anything, but to serve the community in the best way possible,” said John Hutchinson, assistant superintendent for administrative services.
School superintendent Walter Clemons said the need for improvements at GHS had been on the radar for a long time, even prior to the 2011 tornado that destroyed Page Middle School. “And it’s going to stay on the radar for a long time,” Clemons said.