During the call to the audience portion of last week's New Hanover County school board meeting, several Williston Middle School staff members expressed concerns about their school.
Eighth-grade English teacher Clancy Gray said, “In my short time at Williston, I’ve had the air conditioning and the power go out many times. I’ve seen a counselor have to move offices because of a mold infestation. I’ve had my ceiling tiles leak and fall through because of heavy rain and leaks. I’ve seen a river of water flowing through the school from toilets because of a plumbing issue.”
In response, NHCS Superintendent Dr. Christopher Barnes sent a memo to the Board of Education addressing complaints from Gray and others. The memo states that, out of 466 work orders submitted for the last school year, 447 were completed. Barnes also cites the HVAC system as the cause for the largest share of work orders.
On the topic of pest control, Barnes says two rats were removed from the school in September after a work order was submitted. Since then, he said no rodents have been seen in the school.
The memo also says the district has made “substantial investments” in the Williston facility, including upgrades to the HVAC system, steam boiler replacements, auditorium ceiling repairs, and indoor repainting.
Next, Barnes said NHCS plans to repair the school’s courtyard staircases and replace fan coils for the HVAC system. These improvements were already planned before Gray’s complaint.
The memo does not address Gray’s concerns about power outages, mold, rain leakage, or plumbing. It also doesn’t speak to other educators’ funding concerns.
Below: Dr. Barnes' memo