Fairhope, Alabama thefairhopetimes.blogspot.com
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| Proposed Early Learning Academy. |
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| Old Silverhill Elementary site. |
TOO FAR FOR PARENTS TO DRIVE?
On the brink of awarding contracts for actual construction, the Baldwin County School Board began debating the merits of a proposed Early Learning Academy in downtown Silverhill -- on the site of the former elementary school.
The new 72K square foot school is to have 34 classrooms and accommodate about 612 students with 171 parking spaces.
District 3 representative Tony Myrick (Foley area) and others worried that the proposed 10 mile attendance zone would cause a "hardship for parents" by being too far to drive to drop off their children, since the grant-funded program (Office of School Readiness, OSR) is non-mandated and no transportation is provided (except for some special education cases).
Growing traffic congestion in the Silverhill area is a worry too, especially on the two main roads, HWY 104 and CR 55.
Myrick suggested adding wings to existing schools may be a better approach.
District 1's Ken Bradley (Bay Minette) agreed: "Crux of the matter ... 2 lane roads ... north and south ... 600 angry parents (drivers) ... adding on to local schools better?"
APPROVED IN 2024
BOE staff said the proposed new school was designed to serve over 600 children in a 10 mile radius -- from Summerdale, Loxley, Foley, Fairhope, and Robertsdale-areas, out of over 800 anticipated annual applicants: selection of the "winners" is made at random (numbers drawn from a bowl).
The new school's design was altered somewhat after Siverhill's mayor raised objections about its appearance recently; their city council was consulted too (one council member spoke during this meeting, in favor of the school's location there).
Superintendent Tyler said the Board had given the go-ahead for the Silverhill location during a February, 2024 board meeting -- and got updates during subsequent meetings.
Currently space for pre-schools is set aside at individual elementary schools around the county, but that space will be needed for regular K-6 classrooms some day -- according to the staff.
Cost for the one new centralized pre-school would be considerably less than adding-on more wings to each of the existing schools.
"NEED" NOT IN QUESTION
Myrick and said he was not questioning the need for the service, just the proposed location. Pre-school is a proven factor for a child's success later in life, he said.
Bradley agreed, citing the high cost for private day care in his city as more evidence of the need.
OTHER OPTIONS?
District 6's Christenberry (Fairhope-area) remembered their original intention was to eventually build several such pre-k's around the county beginning with Silverhill, then other ones somewhere in S. Baldwin and N. Baldwin to cover all regions of the county.
Christenberry: "We have to begin somewhere."
Myrick agreed having more than one such school would be "ideal."
Superintendent Tyler referenced another possible site nearby, school property on Hwy 59 between Loxley and Robertsdale -- but some of the others thought that site had potential traffic problems too.
$990K ALREADY SPENT
Preliminary engineering design (Adams and Stewart, Llc,) and demolition of the old Silverhill school has already cost $990K, according to staff.
At the end, Tyler called it a "good discussion" -- but no decision was made: the Silverhill Early Learning Academy plan has been put on hold.
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| Pre-school discussion.. |
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| 10 mile radius. |
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| Silverhill plan. |