Memphis, Tenn. — Superintendent Dorsey Hopson told Board Members he would like to postpone the planned vote on a 2014-15 District Budget at the Board Business Meeting Tuesday night, March 25.

“Community members shared some great feedback during our Budget Hearings last week, and we are going to take a careful look at our investments and efficiencies to make sure we're submitting a budget that best serves our students,” Hopson stated. 

A date has not yet been scheduled for the School Board to vote on the 2014-15 District Budget. 

>>> Superintendent Hopson received approval from the Board to request $51.6 million in capital funding from the Shelby County Commission to address critical deferred maintenance and construction needs across the District. The district has not received capital dollars for such deferred maintenance since the 2009-10 school year. 

"If we continue to delay maintenance needs in our schools, we run a greater risk of significant damage and higher costs to repair or replace buildings and systems," Hopson said. "It's been four years since we've had any capital dollars to address these needs. It would be irresponsible of me not to ask for this funding. As these risks increase over time, the safety of our buildings and the students and staff in them becomes a real concern."

Superintendent Hopson first approached the Board in October 2013 regarding capital funding for deferred maintenance. The matter was tabled at the time to allow staff to reassess needs and priorities due to the uncertainty related to municipal districts, schools moving to the Achievement School District and pending decisions on school closures and rezoning. 

"Our initial list was based on the five-year plans of the legacy districts," Hopson added. "Now we are pretty clear on where our greatest needs are, so we feel it is the right time to bring this request back." 

The updated list shared Tuesday with Board Members includes 20-classroom additions at five schools, $12 million to rebuild Westhaven Elementary and roughly $1 million for energy efficiency projects. The funding would also cover new roofs at seven schools, including Millington High, a critical need outlined in the legacy SCS five-year plan. Additionally, the request includes construction costs to cover grade reconfigurations at E.E. Jeter Elementary, Barret's Chapel Elementary, Northaven Elementary and Woodstock Middle.

>>> The decision to reconfigure Woodstock Middle School into a high school for grades 6-10 was included in a slate of more than 20 rezoning proposals approved by the Board for the 2014-15 school year. The proposals involve students who currently attend schools that will become part of a municipal district in 2014-15 and reside in unincorporated Shelby County, either in the Memphis reserve or a rural reserve area, as well as in South Cordova.

"We recognize how difficult this process is for families, and we want to offer as much stability as we can going forward," Hopson stated. "The municipal districts may have opportunities for these students to remain with their current schools, but it is also our responsibility to make sure a quality education is available if they remain with Shelby County Schools.”

District staff and Board Members gave presentations and heard feedback from families in all communities impacted by the rezoning proposals earlier this month. The feedback helped inform a number of decisions, including the conversion of Woodstock Middle into a high school for grades 6-10 and sending students currently attending Bartlett High to Bolton High and Cordova High. The original rezoning proposal for Bartlett High students had some students going to a third school, Ridgeway High.

All approved rezoning maps can be found on the District’s website, www.scsk12.org.