As the new school year begins for Guilford County Schools on Monday, students and parents are met with significant changes driven by budget limitations. In a recent briefing, district officials detailed the adjustments and improvements underway.
Budget Cuts Affect Programs
Superintendent Whitney Oakley announced that financial constraints have led to the scaling back of several programs. “Our high schools used to have learning hubs in the evening with flexible hours; we won’t see that,” Oakley explained. “The tutoring is reduced to just a small number of grades and a specific amount of schools. There’s also digital resources that students and teachers used to have access to that they will no longer have access to.”
High school students will continue to benefit from one-to-one access to digital devices, but younger students from kindergarten to eighth grade will now need to share devices.
Infrastructure Improvements
Despite the cutbacks, the district is channeling efforts into infrastructure upgrades, thanks to $2 billion approved by voters for safety and maintenance bonds in 2020 and 2022. Over the summer, more than 3,000 maintenance work orders were completed, including 700 related to HVAC systems.
Deputy Superintendent of Business and Operations Julius Monk indicated that while progress has been made, there remains a need for further system replacements. The upcoming year will see bond funds used to enhance safety measures, including replacing fire alarms, integrating more security screening devices, and building safety vestibules.
Support for Families
To aid families with school preparations, the district is offering resources through the Healthy Connections for School Readiness clinics. With four more events scheduled in Greensboro and High Point, these clinics aim to support families with registration, health assessments, and immunizations, facilitating a smooth transition back to school for students.
