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Clover Hill could still be converted to a middle school
This is the second time the school board is considering converting CHHS to a middle school. In 2004, school board members shelved the idea when county leaders declined to give the green light for a conversion. Despite the lack of support, Bermuda School Board member Marshall Trammell said, "We never lost sight of converting Clover Hill. We know we need another middle school [in that area], and it's the best use for that property." "I think a middle school makes a lot of sense after we go to the planning commission and board of supervisors," said Clover Hill member Dianne Pettitt. "The school board hasn't written off the idea." "We're investigating three options," explained School Board Chairman Tom Doland. They include converting CHHS to a middle school, selling the school, or using the building to consolidate school administration facilities "countywide under one roof." "Our focus has been on the cost for the replacement high school," Midlothian member Jim Schroeder observed, "but after the two new middle schools are built [in the Matoaca and Bermuda districts], we need to examine the districts. If the data shows the need, I'll support it." Some county officials have said CHHS is too close to Bailey Bridge and Swift Creek middle schools. "We should think outside of the box," maintained Schroeder. "Perhaps there could be some school administration offices there too [in addition to a middle school]. We could turn over the football stadium to [the department of] parks and recreation in some shared relationship." At this point, it's unknown if the school board must get approval from the county's board of supervisors in order to convert CHHS to a middle school. The county attorney's office did not return a call for its view on the matter. "Our [school board] attorney says an existing school building is the purview of the school board," said Pettitt. "Clover Hill was not identified in the public facilities plan as a middle school site," responded Planning Director Kirk Turner. "So it doesn't meet the public facilities plan." The public facilities plan determines where public buildings, including schools, should be built. "I think a conversion to a middle school should go to the planning commission [for review]," said Planning Commission Chairman Dan Gecker. Prior to the school bond referendum in 2004, the county government and the school system wrestled for the decision-making authority over the location of several new schools. The dispute over school locations became so intense that the school board considered legal action against the county. Some school board members viewed the county's "meddling" as an intrusion onto their turf. "[In 2004], some school board members thought we should make a legal issue of it. It was a combative time, but [then Superintendent] Dr. [Billy] Cannaday thought we shouldn't push it," recalled Pettitt. Trammell argues that a conversion is less costly at a time when school construction costs are escalating much faster than inflation. Changing the heating and air conditioning systems at CHHS in 2004 was estimated to cost $8 million. Doland said one advantage to a conversion is not having teenagers crossing Route 360 during the mornings and afternoons to get to and from their vehicles in the overflow parking lot. Unlike high school students, middle school students are too young to drive. Several residents have called this newspaper with harrowing stories of students dodging traffic while crossing Route 360.
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