The Wayne County Board of Education approved changes during its meeting on Monday evening that will affect where students from multiple schools attend school beginning in the 2024-25 school year.
Wayne County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Marc Whichard recommended moving Wayne School of Engineering Students to the building that currently houses Wayne Academy. Whichard also recommended moving Goldsboro High School Students into the portion of the school currently used by Wayne Engineering students.
Under Whichard’s proposed plan, staff from School Street Early Learning Center, school nutrition staff, and exceptional children staff would move to the current Goldsboro High School Building. NC Pre-K would move to Eastern Wayne Elementary School.
Whichard also proposed moving Wayne Middle/High Academy to the former Freshman Academy Modular Suite at Eastern Wayne High School. Edgewood Community Development School would also move to the campus of Eastern Wayne High School.
The plan also includes the campus closures of the Wayne County Public Schools Exceptional Children Department which is currently at Dixie Trail, and is a leased facility from AP Exhaust. The school nutrition mobile site, School Street and Edgewood Community Development School.
“One of my tasks over the summer, and repetitively throughout my job here in Wayne County has been to walk our campuses and look at the utilization of our facilities across Wayne County,” Whichard said. “One of the things that has become very apparent, is that we have a larger capital footprint and operational cost than what is needed to adequately house, staff, and educate students within our school district. So as a part of that, I have created and have been working on for a number of months what I am entitling our school and building use maximization plan.”
Whichard estimated the proposed moves would have a positive annual financial impact of $750,000 on Wayne County Public Schools budget.
“The facility impact will allow for the full utilization of growth for Wayne School of Engineering and potential ADM growth for each grade level six through 12 on the Wayne Academy building,” Whichard said. “Goldsboro High School students and staff in their current building, move to a newer, more modern portion of campus. It continues the usage, and legacy, and history of the Goldsboro High School athletic facilities.”
The board voted unanimously to approve the recommended changes. The meeting can be viewed in its entirety here.
