Greensboro Reporter

A $1.7 billion bond will help Guilford County, North Carolina, schools make facility upgrades that will benefit future students, Dr. Sharon Contreras, superintendent of the school district, said Wednesday.

“Today is a great day for Guilford County,” she said in a meeting after the bond passed in Tuesday’s primary WXII reported. “I thank you on behalf of the tens of thousands of students that we currently serve.”

Schools across the district suffer from infrastructure shortcomings, with antiquated heating and cooling systems and leaky roofs among other concerns, WXII reported.

“They deserve better,” Contreras said. “The children deserve a great education. We’re just so grateful.”

Contreras said many of the schools were built in the 1950s and 1960s.

“Whether you have children that attend GCS or not, the schools belong to all of us,” Contreras said. “I am certain that, very soon, all of Guilford County will be proud of our schools and our college and career-ready graduates.”

Guilford County Commissioner Skip Alston toured district schools leading up to Tuesday's primary to learn what improvements were needed. He said the commissioners will not let the schools get to this point of disrepair in the future.

“This $1.7 billion, that’s only to play catch up,” Alson said. “The money is going to be there.”

Alston said the commissioners are committed to supporting school construction projects as soon as possible.

“Crank up the bulldozers,” he said. “Let us know when you want a check, we will write a check.”

While voters approved the nearly $2 billion bond for schools, they did not pass a special sales tax, something Alston said would not affect school repairs, WXII reported.