The outlook for passage of

the $65 million bond for Fayette County School construction is positive,

according to Sam Burch, cochairman with Trina Berry of the Community Coalition

for Fayette Schools.

The bond issue will be the

last item on the Nov. 7 General Election ballot and despite the optimism

among coalition members, there is some trepidation that voters may not

follow through to the third and last page of the ballot.

"They've got to stick

with it," Burch said Monday night following a sparsely attended town

hall on the bond referendum.

He and the coalition members

have been crisscrossing the county, addressing civic groups and community

organizations about the school system's need for the $65 million to build

three new elementary schools, one new high school and upgrade the rewiring,

relighting, kitchens and restrooms at a number of older school facilities.

A brochure outlining the projects

and the reasons why voters should vote yes on the bond Nov. 7 are being

distributed at coalition presentations and at football games played at

the county's four secondary schools.

Monday night's gathering at

Sams Auditorium focused on some of the frequently asked questions by citizens

unclear about the need and ramifications of the bond.

For instance, where will the

new schools be built? Mike Satterfield, facilities director for Fayette

County Schools, said no land has been purchased to date, but the new schools

would most likely be located in areas of the county experiencing the highest

rate of growth.

"There is tremendous growth

in Kedron, Tyrone and Burch elementaries," Satterfield said. Therefore,

one elementary would be likely situated along the Ga. Highway 74 corridor,

he noted.

The development of 1,100 apartments

and homes in the West Village of Peachtree City, adjacent to Wynnmeade

subdivision, would probably require another elementary. The third elementary

would probably be located between Fayetteville and Brooks, according to

Satterfield.

The new high school is slated

for somewhere south of Fayetteville, he added.

Why not go to year-round school

to ease overcrowding ?

Stuart Bennett, assistant superintendent

for curriculum and instruction, clarified the difference between year-round

school and the trimester system. "Year-round school does not help

overcrowding," he said. Basically, the same number of students go

12 months a year with staggered breaks.

A trimester system, however,

is the stopgap measure many school systems have used to temporarily deal

with overcrowding. With the academic year broken into thirds, students

attend classes two out of three semesters. Bennett noted that this approach

is very stressful on families with children in two or three different

schools and poses some real logistical problems. A survey conducted among

parents and citizens rated it as a last resort in the list of options

dealing with overcrowding.

What about redistricting?

"Buckle your seatbelts;

it will be a rough ride," Bennett predicted. "We will weigh

the impact of any decision we make, and look at all the options available

to us. We should be make a recommendation to the board in spring,"

he said, regarding how the redistricting will go.

Fayette County High School

is likely to be the first school to fall into the redistricting plan,

due to its serious overcrowding. With Sandy Creek High School under capacity,

it is able to absorb several hundred more students. Berry pointed out

that this would require relocating the evening high school which is currently

housed at Sandy Creek.

If the bond passes, when will

construction begin?

"Provided we have a suitable

site [approximately 20 acres], we can begin on the elementary schools

fairly quickly," Satterfield said, predicting a spring bid-out time.

Why can't we just add on to existing schools?

Satterfield said additions would "push the limits of the core facility"

meaning that media centers, cafeterias, restrooms and corridors would

be inadequate in size to accommodate more children. Also, the state's

instructional philosophy is for smaller schools, Bennett said. "It's

not any cheaper to run a big school," he added.