During Thursday morning's facility committee meeting, the Wake school board voted to delay the opening of two elementary schools from 2010 until 2011, including a Wake Forest school. The construction funds for the schools would now come from the next bond initiative.

According to staff, one of the advantages of delaying the opening of the two elementary schools is to allow the funds saved from the elementary schools to be used for the new construction and renovation projects at Wake Forest - Rolesville (WF-R) High School.

The elementary schools are known only as E-25 and E-31. Both are in the construction bidding phase of the projects. Delaying the school completion gives time for resolution to permitting concerns and public-private partnerships issues.

E-31 is being built on Bryan Road in Garner. On April 7, Garner Board of Alderman voted to withhold approval for a permit for this school until school officials would let tell the town how students would be assigned to this school.

Parents in the Garner area spoke out at the Garner meeting about their concerns of growth in the area not warranting a school being built.

E-25 is planned for Wake Forest near US 1. According to Don Haydon, chief of facilities and operations, this school has the unique opportunity to create a model of private-public partnerships. The details on the plans are going slower than earlier anticipated.

There is an opportunity for the WF-R high students to be temporarily housed at Heritage High that is still under construction and could open in 2010. If the WF-R students use the Heritage high space for one year, it allows the construction and renovations to move quicker and safer on the older campus.

Kevin Hill, school board member said, "It's important to take advantage of swing space, important to try to do as much as possible with students off campus."

All board members agreed that it is a unique opportunity to move the high school project forward. Lori Milberg, board member, said "I hate to see us miss this opportunity. Especially since both elementary schools aren't seeming to be needed. Garner has changed growth projections."

Once the renovations are complete, WF-R students would move back on their campus for 2010-11 school year. Heritage High would open that year as a high school with their base population.

The board will vote on the final approvals for the WF-R construction and renovations at the April 29 facilities meeting.

Beverley Clark, board member, said "Waiting to vote on approval of the projects allows the staff to look at other projects that may have a priority. Don't want to put all the eggs in one basket."