New signage at the old Charles E. Perry Elementary School marks the start of a new chapter in the school’s history. Although an official vote has never been taken by the Board of Education, there was a “unanimous consensus: by the board that the old school would be used as a learning center to guide the next generation of students.
“The school will be used as a community learning center,” said superintendent Dr. Ethan Lenker. “We have talked about this for some time now and although there wasn’t a vote, there was a general, unanimous consensus from the board that this is what we wanted to use this for.”
Since it was announced that Charles E. Perry would not be the name of the new Roseboro Elementary School back in late 2010, a group gathered to protest the name, even filing a lawsuit earlier this year against the system (which was thrown out of court) to have the name carry on, which was the intention of the board all along, noted Lenker.
New signage erected at the school this week shows that Perry will now be called The Learning Center at Charles E. Perry.
“There are going to be a lot of students that will be taught there,” Lenker explained. “We have had a lot of options for that school and it will now be a center for community learning.”
The site will now host Head Start and Early Head Start services to students, as well as the system’s migrant program in that area, the English As A Second Language Program (ESL); and the alternative program.
“It looks great over there,” Lenker added. “The Telamon Corporation (who runs the Head Start program) is currently remodeling eight to 10 classrooms to serve their students; we have also remodeled the cafeteria and are going to be serving food. It looks really good.”
Similarly, the old Midway Elementary School has been renamed the Early Childhood Education Center. Again there was never an official vote but rather a consensus of the board.
That school will now be used to house the system’s Migrant/ESL program in the Midway District.
“We have other options there as well,” Lenker said. “It has always been said that we would use the two sites for students and that is what we are doing.”
To reach Doug Clark call 910-592-8137 ext. 123 or email to sisports@heartlandpublications.com.





















