Group pleads for new Hobbton High

Dec. 6—A massive contingent of Hobbton district stakeholders and Sampson County Schools leaders made their presence known during Monday's Sampson County Board of Commissioners meeting, a standing-room only affair where a request was officially made for a new Hobbton High School — an endeavor that school officials said would carry a $4 million-plus matching price tag for the county should a $62 million Needs-Based Public School Building Fund state grant be received.

The grant application is due by Jan. 5 and school officials are targeting mid-December to submit it so an answer is needed now, implored SCS Superintendent Dr. Jamie King, flanked by Sampson County Board of Education members, as well as a vocal crowd of passionate Hobbton parents, students and staffers.

"This is the calling card for Sampson County," said King, noting Hobbton's proximity on U.S. 701, close to I-40 and Newton Grove's traffic circle. "Our students deserve a better environment than this."

King said roughly $4.2 million would be needed from the county board, with the total cost of the proposed school tallying approximately $67.4 million, another $1.1 million coming from sales tax refund monies. There would be additional costs to the county should an $3 million auditorium be constructed, and property acquisition expenditures and cost overruns were not included in the $4.2 million figure, which King did note would not be due all at one time.

That money would have to be paid by the time the school construction is completed, which King said would take three to four years.

The Sampson County Board of Commissioners did not give an answer on Monday, but commissioners, while saying they see the need, did express apprehension with the cost involved, and the tight timeline to make the decision. Board chairman Jerol Kivett said the funds were simply not there, hearkening back to the decision by the board just a week earlier to give employees raises across the board, a $3.2 million allocation from the county's rainy day fund that came in an answer to a market study to keep salaries competitive.

The superintendent urged county leaders to weigh the cost of construction, and what it might be if the county waits.

Citing figures, King said the 2015 cost to build a new Hobbton High was roughly $28.4 million, and the 2018 cost was $49 million. Now, it is estimated at $67 million. It is a trajectory that King said would have the county paying more than $100 million for a new Hobbton High in 2028.

That current Hobbton High School was founded back in the mid-1950s, nearly 70 years ago, a 82,600-square-foot structure built for less than $500,000. That's where students still learn today. Teachers, parents and students said the structure has become outdated, dilapidated and landlocked to any growth, with U.S. 701 in front of it and athletic fields behind it.

That growth has been immense at Hobbton High, said King, who cited projected growth of 14.4% over the next four years.

"Sampson County Schools had the fifth highest growth this current school year of all school districts in the state," said King, noting the Hobbton 14% figure over the coming years. "The biggest school district in the state this year grew at 6.3%."

Site plans for an approximately 118,000-square-foot structure were proposed that would reconfigure the space and allow for future growth, including one plan that moves the school into an adjacent property and another that would see it move across the street, which school officials noted would allow for alleviate the congestion caused with three schools on top of each other side by side as they are now. The plans would allow for expansion, a "modular concept" that allows for organic growth and additions as needed.

There were renovation projects throughout the 70s and another in 2009 and about $2.3 million spent this year, however those in the district said the school is deteriorated, as it has been for years. That outside facade doesn't match the spirit and heart inside, each person who spoke to the merits of Hobbton and a new school attested.

"I can assure you that while the demographics of the Hobbton community looks quite different than it did in the 70s and 80s when I grew up here, it continues the family feel in our community," said Hobbton High School Principal Michael Warren. "This is evident by the fact that more than 60% of the current Hobbton High School staff either graduated from Hobbton High School or their spouse graduated from Hobbton High School, and they have chosen to settle nearby — which means we have chosen Hobbton."

He pointed to the overwhelming support by the school for its own, notably the boys soccer team's state title game run.

"Hobbton is the definition of family and we will continue to express our Wildcat pride," Warren said.

That pride was evident with each person who advocated for a new school.

Hobbton High School student body president Sa'Tori Lorenzo detailed the "crucial need," specifically noting outdated infrastructure and overcrowded classrooms that hindered classroom and extracurricular opportunities.

"Investing in a new high school would address these pressing issues and pave the way for a brighter future for our students," Lorenzo implored, attesting to the need to update facilities to provide ample space for a conducive learning environment. "Today's students don't learn the same way or the same things that students learned half a century ago."

Lorenzo has a younger sister who is wheelchair-bound and has a difficult time attending events at the high school because it is "not very handicap accessible." In a couple years she will be attending Hobbton High School as a student, and Lorenzo said it is her dream for her sister all persons with mobility disability to attend "a new, modern school that is fully handicap accessible and more inclusive to everyone."

"Investing in education demonstrates a commitment to the future of our community," she said. "A new high school will attract families and businesses, contributing to the economic growth and prosperity of our county. A modern high school facility will offer expanded opportunities for extracurricular activities, sports, arts and career-focused programs, fostering well-rounded student development.

"I urge you to consider the long-term benefits of investing in our students and community by allocating funds for the construction of a new high school," Lorenzo continued. "As a senior, a new school would not benefit me, nor my father who attended the same school, along with many grandparents and great-grandparents of the Hobbton community. But your support will impact the lives of current students and will also lay down the foundation for generations to come."

It is a project that is not just needed, she said, but could serve to transform the community in a positive way for years to come.

"After 66 years, Hobbton High School stands as a testament to time, but it's undeniably overdue for a transformation," Lorenzo attested. "The facilities no longer adequately support the needs of today's students and faculty. We are in dire need of a new school that not only aligns with the evolving educational standards, but also mirrors the spirit and identity of our vibrant community, showcasing our esteemed Wildcat pride. I firmly believe that a new school is not merely a construction project, but a testament to your commitment to providing the best possible education for our students. A modernized facility will inspire and support academic excellence, provide a safe and nurturing environment and instill a sense of pride in our students and our community."

Many others spoke during the subsequent public comment portion, BJ Lockamy Bass, Angela Martin, Arianna Corbett and Ann Knowles being just a few of them. There were parents, teachers, students and others who also shared their desire to see a new Hobbton High built.

"In the auditorium, there are signs that remind you there is asbestos in our ceilings, and to not create dust because it could be dangerous; and in the cafeteria, they find tables that are blue and red and brown and black, and some with ill-fitting seats and mismatched designs," said Martin. "It's doesn't take much to surmise that Hobbton High has been a discarded school for quite some time. When each district receives new and improved innovations, their remnants come to Hobbton.

"A new school would bring more to the school than mortar and brick," Martin said. "It would bring a strong sense of pride to our student body, to our community and our county. Hobbton students deserve the opportunity to walk into a classroom designed with the 21st century learner in mind. They deserve to walk tall proud of their building and their school home."

"I come to you humbled with a true Wildcat heart and pride," Bass told to the board. "I am humbled because we have the deal of a lifetime in front of us. It's a deal I do not want us to pass up, and please have careful consideration. Please listen with an open heart and an open mind."

Bass said she saw firsthand her father Billy Lockamy toil over the decisions that he had to make as a county commissioner, and told the seated board she wouldn't take their job for anything.

"There is no way to make everybody happy, I know that. Table it, discuss it, pray about it, call your farmers, call your voters, ask around and get their opinion, just please let it be a fair and just decision," she said. "I know $4.2 million is a lot to ask for, I know we sound crazy as I'll get out, but we need it," said Bass. "We just need your pledge, your word that we can do it."

King said there are options through fundraisers and private donations to pay the costs for property acquisition, cost overruns and the like, but "to get started" $4.2 million was needed from the county.

"It's a $67.4 million school for $4.2 million," said King,

"You make a compelling presentation and I see the need," said Kivett, "but I also have to be cognizant of the impact it has on the county financially. We currently have $77 million in school debt that's not paid off until 2048. That is a concern, and very much a detriment. However, I do like the plan and like the idea and know the school needs it. We'll certainly have to take it into consideration."

"I agree with the other commissioners — the school is needed. It is old," said Commissioner Lethia Lee. "But, like Mr. Kivett said, we have to look at other things and consider other things also. It's not going to be forgotten."

"I don't think it's a 'no'," Kivett added, "but we're going to have to do some soul-searching."

Editor Chris Berendt can be reached at 910-592-8137 ext. 2587.