10,000 views: A Look Back

In honor of BSBS crossing 10,000 views, here's a sampling of things that were said leading up to the school closing its doors.  From our very first post, we stood firm in our belief that the board and administration were not telling the truth, and those who chose to believe them are now paying the price.  Thankfully, whether of their own volition or heeding our warnings here, families found other schools for their children a year ago and we saw Byrnes' enrollment drop by more than 50 students. 

So without further ado, a look back at some memorable quotes:

"We will not close down. We have a viable business plan. We're going to continue to educate the children of the Pee Dee for the next 50 years,"
---John Isgett, former board president
Feb 2011
[apparently "viable" meant using future year's tuition to fund current year operations.  Court documents showed us that this is why FC would not extend any more credit.  Looks like they were right all along.]


"I think we hung tough for a year without losing enrollment."
--former Byrnes headmaster John Colby
March 8, 2012
*Enrollment before bk = 241
*Enrollment last year = 190

“John [Colby] brought years of experience to the school and he leaves Byrnes in a good situation."
--Tom Goodson
President of the Board for Byrnes School
March 8, 2012, ~90 days before announcing the school's closure


"words like “school closing” and “bankruptcy” are now flying through the Florence community, alighting amongst friends and neighbors and croaking out their message like birds of ill omen. Never mind that the words are not true. Never mind that Byrnes has not closed, will not close, and is enrolling for next year even as those birds croak out that sensational word “closed”....Byrnes is here to stay."
--Kevin M. Ferguson
The Byrnes Schools
Upper School English Department Chair
Printed in the Morning News Feb 7, 2011 a week after officially filing for bankruptcy


“We’re definitely on track for a more financially stable school, long-term. This bankruptcy was an unfortunate thing, but it did financially assist us to becoming bigger and better in the future.”
--John Isgett, former board president
August 2011


"Nobody’s going to buy this school.”
--John Colby
Jan 2011
[he may be right, there might be a 'for sale' sign there for years]



“It hasn’t affected the school one bit"
--John Colby on the Byrnes bankruptcy
Summer 2011

"I feel that the current board that the school has right now has everything under control,"  "I'm not really worried about it because Byrnes is not going to close. My kids are going to graduate from it." 

--Meg Ryan, an alumna of The Byrnes Schools and parent of kids at the former school

Jan 2011

"[Dear John,]

As admirable as the plan is to raise $800,000 to see the school through the remainder of the school year, the fact remains that the bank does not feel over the long term additional debt alone will place the school on the solid financial footing it seeks. 

I think it's fair to say we see additional borrowed funds as a temporary fix and not a lasting solution.  The school's existing debt load has apparently been a heavy burden and more debt will not make that servicing problem any easier.  This, coupled with the difficulty of the school to meet its payroll in the past couple of months and the suggestion that it may have to suspend operation in the near term, points to deep and profound issues that may involve some tough decisions for both of us."

--Michael Blakely of First Citizens Bank in an email to John Isgett

Sept 16, 2009