Dear Supporters: 

We are now at over 750 signatures to the petition towards the target of 1000 signatures by Tuesday, November 14.  Please keep sharing the petition.  

Bottom line up front: GCS has contracted with SHP to design, architect and possibly re-build Lindley. SHP’s conclusion is that the existing historic 1928 school building does not fit into their cookie-cutter design of a sub-urban, one-story elementary school on 20+ acres of land following North Carolina DPI models. The report from SHP was not surprising, as SHP benefits financially from razing the existing school and completely rebuilding to their designs. 

GCS should enlist an architecture and engineering team that has extensive experience in adaptive reuse of historic buildings and conduct a comprehensive analysis of the site. That scope should be a feasibility study of reusing the original 1928 building along with new structures to support the student population on the campus, which exists in an urban environment between two neighborhoods with homes built mostly from the 1920’s. The approach should also consider maintaining as much of the existing open landscape, woods and community garden, and walkability of the campus from the surrounding neighborhoods.

Please keep in mind, it is not being suggested to save the campus additions, including the library/media center (1974), cafeteria wing (1957), or the Pre-K/K wing (2001). The focus of this petition is saving the 1928 building and existing campus grounds for continued use at Lindley. 

Two other ways to help: 

1. On Tuesday, November 14, the Guilford County School Board of Education will meet in public session, with Lindley’s future on the agenda. Persons wishing to publicly address the Board must register between 8 a.m. the day before the meeting (in this case, Monday, November 13) and 12 p.m. the day of the meeting. Please send an email to boardclerk@gcsnc.com during that timeframe. Speakers are granted a maximum of three (3) minutes, with a total of 30 minutes designated for all public comments.

2. It is also suggested writing the school board with your thoughts on this issue through the emails listed below: 

bellamysmall@gcsnc.com

prattc2@gcsnc.com

loganm@gcsnc.com

kbwelborn2@triad.rr.com

napperd@gcsnc.com

irbyk@gcsnc.com

jenkinb2@gcsnc.com

hayesd@gcsnc.com

sheroua@gcsnc.com

superintendent@gcsnc.com

Thank You!