End of an era at Fair Street school

GAINESVILLE - When school bells sounded Tuesday ending another school year for Gainesville schools, the one at Fair Street International Baccalaureate (Elementary) School brought down the curtain on Fair Street as we know it.

The school dates back more the 74 years and for a long time was an all-black school until integration came along.

The school will be razed this summer to make way for a new Fair Street Elementary School.

Gainesville Schools Supt. Merrianne Dyer says the new school will "hopefully" be ready by January 2013, however, "we realistically are looking at Fall 2013 before opening it. It depends on a variety of factors."

Until the new school is ready, Fair Street students will attend classes, starting next fall, in the modular buildings at Wood's Mill Academy.

At a meeting at the school on Nov. 20, 2009, it was explained to parents and others that the school needs to be completely replaced for a number of reasons, including a leaky roof, electrical problems and structural problems on one wing.

Funding for the new school will come from a Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) which was approved in March.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2011/5/238958