The Cumberland County School Board will negotiate a lease agreement to move the Baby Birds Learning Center Program to Cumberland County High School.
The program serves students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Crossroads Academy had expressed concerns about cleaning procedures and scheduling in the current building. Director of Schools Rebecca Farley said the program has to have an approved space and that the state would evaluate the space at Cumberland County High School.
“Dr. Warner and I, and Ms. Brock met,” Farley said. “We’ve looked at the space, I think Ms. Brock has gone back today and met with the teachers that she would be sharing the space with. I think that spot is going to work probably better than any other spot that we would have.”
Farley said she is unsure how well the space would work, but she does not see any reason not to move the program. Farley said the school’s attorney drafted a lease agreement, but some details of the lease have yet to be determined.
“I do realize that there may be some things that she is needing to talk about adjusting, and that would be fees and rent,” Farley said. “So I’m willing to work with that. This is just a standard lease that the lawyer drew up.”
Farley said the program has 12 pre-enrolled students in the program for the upcoming school year. Farley said it may be best to wait until the state reviews the space before setting a rent rate.
“That may be another piece of holding off on the amount, because if she can’t take 12, she probably, I don’t know her finances, and do not want to discuss them in this public meeting, but we might need to wait till that to see about the amount. We have a set amount, which is better for her than what she currently has.”
Farley said the lease would prorate August and December as the program would only be using the space for half of those months. Farley said the soft deadline to have a lease agreement is August 11.
Board Member Scott VanWinkle said he was supporting the move of the program.
“I just think this is a good program,” VanWinkle said. “Something that we need to do for our community, and I think it’s a good thing to do.”