JACKSON – The Northampton County Board of Education discussed its “The Way Forward Plan” Wednesday night.

Executive Director of Auxiliary Services Doug Miller said the summer program is still going on, but did say the high school students at the Creeksville campus will be moved to the Gaston campus by Aug. 1 and the Early College, located on the campus Squire School is now ready to open.

The BOE members wanted to know the Early College’s school colors and how the walls of the schools would be painted.

Superintendent Monica Smith-Woofter said the high school students opted for a jaguar for mascot, with teal and off-white for colors

The walls are currently gray at Squire, but BOE members wanted them changed to teal and off-white.

BOE member Clinton Williams said he doesn’t want the whole school painted in high school colors, just the main building where Early College students will be.

The Squire School will house three groups of students in the 2016-17 school year: Early College (high school), Alternative School (middle and high school), and pre-K, kindergarten, and first grade students.

Williams said the school district is in transition.

BOE member Lucy Edwards wanted the signage in front of the school to be changed to reflect the three different populations of students at Squire.

Woofter said a sign will reflect that, but because the “Squire Elementary” sign is such a big part of Gaston’s history, citizens there want it to remain. So the current Squire sign will remain on campus.

The BOE members then spoke about bussing issues. Miller reminded them of a contract they had earlier approved with Synovia Solutions that would track bus routes and help staff modify or revise bus routes for greater efficiency for students and schools.

As for Early College students, a staff member in the audience said 55 have opted for Early College so far, but with applications still coming in, she is hoping for 65-70 students by the time school starts.

During Citizen Comments part of the meeting, Tim Hollowell presented Board Chairwoman Rhonda Taylor with a petition with 730 signatures opposing the closing of the Creeksville campus of NCHS and opposing sending students in the east end of the county to the Gaston campus.

Hollowell said he has heard the some BOE members believe most parents approve “The Way Forward Plan,” but that everyone he has encountered oppose it and were willing to sign the petition against it.

He also complained about the recent per diem hike for BOE members from $400 per month to $600 per month, which he said made this school board the highest paid in the region with lowest performance in the state.

Jim Martin complained that his summer school kids have been moved from school to school, which makes him “very uncomfortable.”

On closing the high school campus at Creeksville, Martin said he signed Hollowell’s petition opposing the BOE’s decision.

He also said he is in total opposition on the school board giving itself a raise considering, “the poor performance” of the district.

And on Board of County Commissioners’ decision to vote in support of the BOE per diem increase, Martin said, “I thought they had better sense than that.”

The BOE did not respond to the public criticism.