Fayetteville Elementary will

become two schools at least, officially.

In reality, it's been operating

as two separate schools all along, on separate campuses next to each other

on Hood Avenue. Acting on the recommendation of the Superintendent's Implementation

Committee, the Board of Education voted to reclassify them as Fayetteville

Intermediate School and Hood Avenue Primary School.

Since the facilities are already

staffed as separate entities, the cost for this change is minimal, Superintendent

Dr. John DeCotis told the school board at Monday's called meeting. The

move was also recommended by the Southern Association of Colleges and

Schools after a 1999 visit, and the faculties and administrations are

also largely in favor of it, he said.

The two schools will likely

keep a single parent-teacher organization to prevent parents with children

on both campuses from having to join two PTOs.

The two facilities are currently

staffed by a single principal, so the main financial adjustment will be

the addition of a principal and the reduction of one assistant principal.