Mobile classrooms ready later than expected

By Jennifer Fernandez

Eight Guilford County schools knew they’d get their extra mobile classrooms a little late. A couple of weeks into the school year, district officials predicted they’d get them in August.It ended up being a couple of months, and some had to wait until students returned from winter break before the new classrooms were ready.The district expected to spend about $2.9 million to buy and relocate mobiles this school year to schools that needed extra space because of increases in enrollment . An updated figure was not available Friday.Alamance, Claxton and McLeansville elementary schools began using their mobiles in October. So did Southwest and Mendenhall middle schools, school and district officials said. Jesse Wharton Elementary had to wait until November, while Jefferson and Lindley elementary schools couldn’t use theirs until this month.Donna Bell, the district’s director of planning, couldn’t explain why the mobile units arrived later than anticipated. They had originally been delayed a few weeks because money for their setup was diverted to help pay for emergency renovations at three middle schools . "As with many construction projects, the weather could have been a factor (i.e. rain and its aftereffects)," Bell, who did not return phone calls, wrote in an e-mail. "But I would need to check on each case as to specific information."Southwest and Millis Road elementary schools are awaiting one more unit each, pending available funding, Bell wrote.The extended delay worked out fine for some schools.At Claxton, enrollment had grown enough that a new second-grade class had to be formed by the time the four-classroom mobile was ready in late October, principal Anessa Burgman said. Those students were placed in a classroom in the regular building. The mobile became home to classes for gifted education, English as a Second Language and special education. A physical therapist, occupational therapist and a physical education teacher who works with students with disabilities share the fourth room. The three work periodically at the school.The mobile classroom, called a quad because of its four classes, was a welcome addition."We’re using every inch of the site," Burgman said. "We were very excited."Jefferson Elementary started the school year with 100 fewer students than expected. But 30 students, with more anticipated, trickled in before winter break. The mobile unit was ready when students returned from vacation, principal Tanya Feagins said."So, for us, the timeframe worked out fine," she said.One room will be used for a specialist, such as physical education. She expects to create more classrooms in the next two weeks to accommodate growth.Lindley put a kindergarten class and specialist teachers in its new mobile unit.The quad sits alongside the sidewalk leading to the school, with metal, handrail-lined ramps at the entrances.Specialists often get squeezed into converted closet space and sometimes hallways in the tight confines of a regular school building. But Karin Young’s new classroom in the quad is more than twice as big as her last room. Young, who teaches English as a Second Language, said it will be easier to work with students in the larger space.