Guilford County Schools (GCS) has recently changed the scope of campus improvement for Lindley Elementary School from renovation to possible rebuild, which would result in the historic 1928 school building being torn down. This decision would also include major landscaping of the natural open areas of the campus, and could impact the existing wooded trails, adding new roads and parking lots. The school’s community garden could also be threatened by this project.

Lindley Elementary School’s current enrollment is at just over 500 students, and GCS would like to see a school facility that can support 700 students. Lindley’s school facility certainly needs renovation and improvements. However, there is no reason GCS cannot preserve and re-purpose the existing 1928 structure for continued educational use as part of Lindley Elementary. GCS preserved Grimsley High School and Dudley High School in saving the original historic school buildings for continued use and can do the same for Lindley.

The existing 1928 school building at Lindley, which includes the auditorium, is a solid structure with architectural features from the 1920’s that mirror the architecture of the homes in the surrounding neighborhoods and helps connect the school to the community. The building is not in danger of falling down or coming apart, it just needs modernizing.

Beyond saving the historic 1928 building, the campus of Lindley Elementary has beautiful open natural landscapes and wooded trails. The heart of this landscape is the community garden for teaching students about agriculture and growing healthy food. There is also the original outside campus amphitheater, which is now used for sledding on snow days by the community. These features of the school serve not only the students and their families, but also the neighborhoods of Lindley Park and Sunset Hills.

Tearing down the historic building certainly does not provide Lindley’s students with a lesson in preserving history by destroying it or teaching environmental stewardship by filling up landfills needlessly from a building that can still be utilized. Major development of the open natural areas, wooded trails and possibly the community garden for roads and surface lots will not maintain the close community connection built over the years by the school’s PTA and the local neighborhoods.

If you believe that the Guilford County School Board should preserve and renovate the 1928 historic building for continued use, and additionally carefully architect future campus landscaping so that the wooded trails, community garden, and as much of the open landscape are preserved, please sign this petition.