This makes sense

I love when people make creative use of resources. I like the idea of charter schools. The school system is broken and has been for years. Charter schools have extreme local control, which I love. A board of directors serves as the school board. Staff is usually lean rather than bloated with bureaurocracy and administration. That means that parents have greater control over the school's operation and expenditures than government run schools.

Charter schools get the same per student money that government schools get. What they do not get is the money for facilities. That means that they have to find their own building and run more efficiently than a government school. They often will use an existing building such as an old grocery store, other store front, or abandoned school building. In Selma's case, a new charter school has leased the old Harrison building. This is just good use of a facility that is otherwise underutilized.

It is good that the town is cooperating in leasing the building to the school for just $1 per year. I am sure that there are provisions for the school being responsible for insurance and utilities. I was not able to be at the last council meeting (I was working until after 1 in the morning. By the way, the town web site advertised the meeting as being on the 6th, a week early), so I didn't hear all the details that may have been discussed. To get a building and gym for school use is good for both the town if those expenses are covered by the school. The school benefits by having a facility at basically no cost. This is the creative use of existing facilities that I like to see.

Below is the WMPM story. There is a much more complete story in this week's edition of The Selma News. I linked you to the paper's web site, but the story isn't there. Unfortunately, the paper has not been real good at updating their web site with news. If you want to read the story, you have to pick up a copy of the paper.

Charter School Leases Old Harrison School Building - Johnston County ’s first charter school is set to open this August. This week, the Selma Town Council agreed to lease the old Harrison school building and gym to the charter school for $1 a year for three years. Officials estimate 260 students will be enrolled in grades K-4. About 32 teachers and administrators will be hired. Final approval of the charter school by the state is expected in a matter of weeks.

"The Smithfield Heresy" has published an article on the Harrison property becoming a charter school on their site.