Latest news with #SnowdenElementary
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Public hearing takes place to discuss possible closing of elementary school in Beaufort County
CHOCOWINITY, N.C. (WNCT) — A public hearing discussing the possible closure of Snowden Elementary School took place at Southside High School Thursday night, May 29, 2025. Members of the school board welcomed the community to hear their thoughts and opinions on the closure's impact. They spoke about student safety, lack of convenience and of what losing the school would mean. One message that was clear from both board members and people in the community was that solutions are needed. Concerns started with the meeting's location as some people said it was too far from the people in Aurora for them to voice their concerns. Beaufort County Schools Superintendent Dr. Matthew Cheeseman said he's grateful for the people who did voice their opinions. 'It's exciting to hear from all these people,' he said. 'We're working on transportation solutions but also enjoyed hearing the support for our strong teachers.' Some parents and other community members remain unhappy with the possibility of the school's closure. If the school does close, Beaufort County Schools would save $1.76 million, according to the recommended budget from Beaufort County Manager Brian Alligood. 'This is a long-term issue, we are seeing less people in Beaufort County,' Dr. Cheeseman said. The board will make a decision Tuesday, June 3rd, but leadership said they are looking at solutions to the problem for both possible outcomes. 'Leave it to the board to have dialogue with each other and approach both possible outcomes,' Dr. Cheeseman said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Future appears bleak for Snowden Elementary School due to multiple factors
AURORA, N.C. (WNCT) — At a Beaufort County Schools Board of Education meeting Tuesday night, the board voted to tentatively begin the process of closing Snowden Elementary. While there is no guarantee the school will be shut down, the future of the school appears grim. Beaufort County Schools Superintendent Dr. Matthew Cheeseman said there are three main factors that led to his decision to bring this to the board. They said the school is impacting the district in a negative way financially, the enrollment numbers are dropping and the possibility of a better education elsewhere in the district exists. Over the past decade, the board has seen signs of academic improvement at Snowden, Dr. Cheeseman said a familiar problem may have become too much to handle. 'Actually, I consider the quality of education, whether we can actually staff a school with certified and licensed public school educators and administrators and that has been a historical issue, at Snowden,' Dr. Cheeseman said. He said the location and the enrollment play a large part in the lack of consistency as it pertains to teachers and he's worried about the impacts that could have on students. 'The issue is how do you have consistency among the educators in the building? You know, you can't go long without a math teacher or an officer, an English teacher, and not expect students to have achievement gaps,' he said. In his proposal, Dr. Cheeseman said the students at Snowden would attend Chocowinity Primary School and Chocowinity Middle School in the fall of 2026. He elaborated on what a closure would mean for the staff. 'We would look at the available positions that we have open in the district and who is licensed and certified and qualified to slide into those positions. Some of it will come down to contract law,' Dr. Cheeseman said. Dr. Cheeseman said they plan to have public input and information sessions. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
