2016 Bond Preparation

Bond Presentations

Between July 2015 and February 2016, the Board of Education worked through the possible bond projects in a series of public meetings and briefing sessions. Listed below are the presentations from those meetings.

Click here to see documents

Bond Public Hearings


The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education will hold eight public hearings to gather feedback about a proposed bond referendum in November. 

If approved, the bond package would pay for school construction, renovation and repairs. It would be the first large-scale referendum for WS/FCS’ school construction since 2006.

The school board has developed a project list based on needs that total about $325 million in present-day costs. After gathering public feedback, the board will finalize its list before it presents a formal request to Forsyth County Commissioners this spring.

Each meeting will start with a brief presentation about the proposed projects, followed by time for public comments.

The dates, times and locations of the meeting are:

  • Monday, Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. – East Forsyth High School (2500 W. Mountain Street, Kernersville)

  • Wednesday, Feb. 17 at noon – Kernersville Elementary School (512 W. Mountain Street, Kernersville)

  • Thursday, Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. – Carver High School (3545 Carver School Road, Winston-Salem)

  • Monday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. – Parkland High School (1600 Brewer Road, Winston-Salem)

  • Thursday, March 3 at 7:30 p.m. – West Forsyth High School (1735 Lewisville-Clemmons Road, Clemmons)

  • Monday, March 7 at 7 p.m. – North Forsyth High School (5705 Shattalon Drive, Winston-Salem)

  • Thursday, March 10 at noon – The Downtown School (601 N. Cherry Street, Winston-Salem)

  • Monday, March 14 at 7 p.m. – Speas Elementary School (2000 W. Polo Road, Winston-Salem)

January 2016 Discussion

The board discussed possible projects at its Jan. 12 meeting. Working off its Dec. 16 list, the board focused on four topics:

  • ​The board talked about the cost of a pre-kindergarten center and agreed to keep it in its list of priorities.

  • The board talked about Wiley Magnet Middle's need for a new gym and additional classroom space and agreed to keep it in its list of priorities. 

  • The board talked about finishing classroom technology solutions at schools that don't have them, rather than new media centers or STEM classrooms. They arrived at presenting the option of finishing that initiative, along with updating all media centers with new furniture and a 3D printer, to the public.

  • The board split proposed renovations at North into two phases, and included the first phase in the current project list. It would renovate the original 1963 building (not including the gym and lockers) with additional renovations in a future bond.

This is not a final list; the board directed staff to prepare an updated list so it could continue discussing the projects. The board still plans to take a list to the public in eight forums this spring before finalizing a request that it will take to Forsyth County Commissioners in May. 

December 2015 Briefing

The board came to a consensus Dec. 16 to target $300 million in needs for its list of projects. This was based on what the board felt was fair to ask the county for, as well as about how many projects the district could manage at one time.

The board decided to keep Winston-Salem Preparatory at its current location based on the earlier commitment it made that it would not move the high school program unless it found a better situation for it. The board also discussed the possibility of leaving Hanes Magnet School at its current location in the former Hill building.

The board then worked through its projects to get it closer to the $300-million target. This is not a final list; the board directed staff to prepare an updated list and maps with the different projects so it could continue discussing the projects. The board still plans to take a list to the public in eight forums this spring before finalizing a request that it will take to Forsyth County Commissioners in May.

Included in the current list, totaling about $296M:

  • A replacement school for Konnoak Elementary on its current campus

  • $29.4M in maintenance and capital improvements across the district

  • A replacement school for Lowrance Middle at Paisley IB Magnet

  • A replacement school for Paisley IB Magnet on its current campus

  • A replacement school for Brunson, with the location yet to be determined

  • A new Pre-K Center, with the location yet to be determined 

  • Renovations and additions at Easton, Griffith and Ward elementary schools

  • Renovations for Philo-Hill Magnet Academy at its current campus

  • Renovations for John F. Kennedy High School at its current campus

  • Traffic improvements at Southeast Middle, Wiley Magnet Middle and Reynolds High, Meadowlark Elementary and Middle, and Parkland High

  • New gym and additional classrooms at Wiley Magnet Middle on its current campus

  • Renovations at East Forsyth High on its current campus

  • A new middle school at Smith Farm Elementary 

  • A new middle school on Robinhood Road 

  • Land for a future eastern elementary school

  • Money for either updated media centers or a STEM lab at every school (The board does not have a consensus on which option yet.)

Two projects that the board is still also considering are renovations at North Forsyth High and a replacement school for Ashley Academy for Cultural and Global Studies. The board also hopes to fund safety improvements for stadiums at Mount Tabor and Glenn and other district safety projects outside a bond referendum.

Proposed 2016 Bond Referendum- July 2015 Introduction

On July 22, the district took its first steps toward what it hopes will be a successful bond referendum in November 2016 to pay for school construction and renovations.

The last large-scale bond referendum for WS/FCS was approved in 2006 and paid for $250 million in construction, renovations and improvements. Those projects were chosen from a list of needs that totaled $422 million. Since 2006, the district has grown by almost 7,000 students, buildings have continued to age, and it has facility needs that must be addressed.

Staff presented four sets of options to the Board of Education for its consideration. These were not recommendations, but a starting point for the Board as it listens to feedback from staff, families and the community about what the next set of projects should be.

Presentation to Board, 7/22/15 (click to view)

Staff approached the options with this question in mind: What can be designed to address facility and programming needs to better achieve the district's goals of improving childhood literacy, increasing the graduation rate and closing the achievement gap?

Option 1 comprehensively addresses the district's needs. It would cost about $552 million and pay for new construction and renovations around the district. This work would include looking at adding magnet programs and other options to draw a diverse population to different schools.

Option 2 focuses on providing more space and improving aging schools. It would cost about $334 million.

Option 3 focuses on early education in an effort to help the district's youngest students have a good start in school. It includes 22 pre-kindergarten classrooms, including a pre-kindergarten center. It would cost about $284 million.

Option 4 focuses on middle schools to address capacity needs – which are greatest in grades 6-8 – and broaden programs at this key age. It would add three new middle schools and renovate three existing ones. It would cost about $268 million.

Each option and cost includes several priority projects that staff believe are needed the most. They are:

  • A replacement for Konnoak Elementary.

  • A replacement for Lowrance Middle on the campus of Paisley IB Magnet.

  • Renovations for John F. Kennedy High, a high school that specializes in career and technical education.

  • A new site for the high school program at Winston-Salem Preparatory Academy. Moving the program is contingent on keeping the school’s academic and athletic programs intact, and it must be a site that reflects the school’s founding mission for students to do college-level work in high school. It would not share a campus with another WS/FCS school.

  • A long-term site for Hanes Magnet School at Cameron Avenue in Winston-Salem Preparatory Academy’s current building. The current site at the former Hill Middle is not a long-term solution, and Cameron Avenue is closer to the school’s former location. A location for Winston-Salem Preparatory Academy would have to be found first.

  • Upgrading the media centers in all schools to create innovative learning centers that better reflect the collaborative and creative nature of student learning in the future.

  • A new middle school at a site yet to be determined to address overcrowded schools in the middle school grades.

  • Maintenance and capital improvements, such as roofs, boilers, chillers and other systems.

  • Safety improvements to Mount Tabor’s stadium.

Please share your thoughts and ideas with us about the options. Public forums will be scheduled this fall and again in the winter as the Board finalizes its request to Forsyth County Commissioners next spring.

Send feedback to WSFCSInfo@wsfcs.k12.nc.us.