Chatham County Public Schools

The Chatham County Public School System is a school district located in Chatham County, North Carolina and is operated by an elected school board.^[1] The school district currently operates 17 schools throughout the county.^[2]

Schools

There are three public high schools: Northwood in Pittsboro, Jordan-Matthews in Siler City, and Chatham Central in Bear Creek. One alternative school is SAGE Academy. Long range plans include a middle school in northeastern Chatham County opening in 2009, a high school in the northeastern opening in 2011, and an elementary school in the Pittsboro area opening in the future.^[3] There are only two middle schools - Chatham Middle located in Siler City and Horton Middle located in Pittsboro. The district operates 7 elementary schools (serving grades K-8): Bennett, Bonlee, J.S. Waters (near Goldston), Moncure, North Chatham, Perry W. Harrison, and Silk Hope; as well as three primary schools (serving up to grade 5): Pittsboro Elementary School (K-4), Siler City Elementary School (PreK-5), and Virginia Cross Elementary School (K-5) also in Siler City. There is also a More at Four Pre-kindergarten center at Paul Braxton Children's Center in Siler City as well as several of schools in the county.^[4]

Bennett School controversy

See also: Bennett, North Carolina

In 2006, the Chatham County Board of Education announced that they were repealing a decision that allowed students that lived in the Randolph County portion of Bennett to attend Bennett School, the local K-8 school, free of charge. For years students from both counties that lived in "Bennett" were allowed to attend the school free under a memorandum of understanding between the two counties made many years ago. The announcement that the memorandum was being repealed stirred a firestorm of controversy, since the Randolph County students would be considered out-of-district students and could therefore be charged hundreds of dollars each year to attend school in Chatham County. The commute to the nearest Randolph County school was also a problem since it is located many miles from Bennett. To date, the Chatham County board has stood by its decision despite numerous complaints from residents.^[5]

Construction updates

In January 2009, a Chatham County Schools press release confirmed the groundbreaking of a new middle school. This school would be located near Briar Chapel, in northeastern Chatham County. The 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students of Perry Harrison would be moved here.^[6]

References

1. ^ Board of Education
2. ^ Schools Directory
3. ^ Frequently asked questions about Chatham County school construction
4. ^ More at Four program
5. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bennett,_North_Carolina
6. ^ http://ds1.chatham.k12.nc.us/pressrel.nsf/2479ff2bec0fc2c585256a6a00771650/b8a4bece97689de68525754d007a4d19?OpenDocument

External links

• Chatham County Schools Official Site
• Chatham County Schools Official Wiki