School board sets schedule for PikeView Middle School debates

By MARK BLEVINS
Princeton Times

May 09, 2008 09:49 am

— PRINCETON — The Mercer County Board of Education announced a schedule for public hearings concerning the proposed PikeView Middle School during a special session Tuesday. The meetings are scheduled for June 9 through the 12.
Dr. Deborah Akers, superintendent for Mercer County schools, said the hearings would be an opportunity for the community members to voice their viewpoints on the proposed reconfiguration of schools. Members of the public speaking will be limited to five minutes for their presentations. Written comments may be submitted to the board. The material must be received by the Office of the Superintendent no later than June 6 at noon.
The state School Building Authority granted Mercer County $12.5 million in April to aid in building the proposed middle school. Oakvale, Spanishburg, Athens and Lashmeet/Matoaka schools would be affected. The elementary schools will not be closed, but students in grades 6—8 would attend the proposed middle school.
The first public hearing will be at Oakvale School June 9, 6 p.m. If the hearing isn’t concluded by 11 p.m., it will be continued June 10 at 4 p.m., or as soon as possible. An alternate date for the hearing is scheduled for June 16 at 6 p.m., in the event of inclement weather or factors beyond the control of the Board of Education.
The second public hearing will be at Spanishburg School June 10, 6 p.m. If the hearing isn’t concluded by 11 p.m, it will be continued on June 11 at 4 p.m. An alternate date is set for June 17, 6 p.m.
Lashmeet/Matoaka will have a public hearing on the proposed middle school June 11 at 6 p.m. If the hearing isn’t finished by 11 p.m., it will continue June 12, 4 p.m. An alternate date is set for June 18, 6 p.m.
Athens School will have its public hearing on the proposed middle school June 12 at 6 p.m. If the hearing isn’t concluded by 11 p.m., it will continue June 13, 4 p.m. An alternate date for the meeting is June 19, 6 p.m.
If the school locations are an insufficient size for the hearings, the proceedings will be moved to Princeton Middle School on the scheduled dates at 7 p.m. Akers said she expects the board to vote on the SBA grant during a June meeting. Advertisements listing the times and dates of the public hearings will be published in newspapers as well, she said.
— Contact Mark Blevins at
mblevins@ptonline.net.