GREENSBORO, N.C. — As Guilford County Schools continues its plan to rebuild eight schools over the next few years, community members are concerned construction of the new Kiser Middle School will impact Grimsley High School's baseball and softball fields.
In the design phase of the project, there were discussions that the new Kiser Middle School would be rebuilt where Grimsley's current baseball and softball fields now stand.
In a March 2021 press release, GCS said "Grimsley baseball and softball games and practices may need to be located elsewhere during Kiser Middle’s construction."
No finalized plan has been set yet.
Brandy Adams, a Grimsley parent and president of the Grimsley Athletics Booster Club, said she was asked to form a small committee in 2021 to work with the Board of Education on potential sites for the school. However, one year later, she said the committee never got the opportunity.
"We are really worried about what is the plan if Kiser is built here? What does that plan look like? Where do kids practice and play? Who’s going to fund the location for the practice and play," asked Adams.
A member of the committee started a petition to urge school officials to provide more information on the plan and how it could impact students.
According to the petition, the Young McCall Baseball Field is named after two people: Willie Young Sr., a Grimsley custodian and groundskeeper for more than 40 years and Lewis McCall, who led the school to the state baseball championships in 1960 and ’64.
The petition states McCall coached baseball for eight seasons in the late 1950s and early ’60s and took Grimsley to four state championship games and 100 conference victories in 111 games.
Adams said the construction could impact more than 200 students, including the baseball and softball teams along with the other teams that use the fields for practice. She said it could have a lasting effect on the community.
"We are really fearful that and then not only could this potentially steer people away from coming and living in the Grimsley district and coming to this great school that has great history (but) if it’s too hard for them to be an athlete we are fearful that people will just choose not to be athletes because it’s too hard," Adams said.
Adams said she'd like to know what the other plans for Kiserl are and why they aren't choosing the other plans. A Board of Education retreat is planned for Saturday, March 25 where the Board is expected to discuss the Kiser construction.
Kiser Middle School is one of the eight schools being rebuilt with the $300 bond approved in 2020. Voters will decide on another $1.7 billion bond in May for more school construction and renovation projects.
The school district website says a construction start date is "to be determined' but Kiser Middle School is expected to be finished by April 2024.