UPDATE: Looks like it was just a typo. Trinity remove the errant post and replaced it with the text of their press release. So, looks like there will be a 6th grade next year. According to Hoffman's comments to local media, this will be only be for one year after which TB will revert to 7-12.
Greetings all,
Trinity has added a new header to their website where they say TB will be 7th through 12th grades. None of their text or forms mention 6th at all. Was this dropped due to lack of interest? Other conflicts? Just a typo?
http://tcstitans.org/index.php
If you know anything, hit me up in the comments or by email at byrnesbk@hotmail.com.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
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
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
Monday, July 9, 2012
Byrnes Closing: More Updates
Just a short post with a few updates.
Looks like Brandis Winstead is taking an asst headmaster job at Trinity after all, so 6th will likely go to Clanton and Geddings for English and Math, respectively. Also, the 6th grade at Trinity will exist for only one year before being dissolved. For anyone who thinks this is odd, there are some Byrnes board members with children going into 6th grade so this was clearly worked out with them in mind. In 2013,-14, Trinity reverts to a 7-12 school like they've always been, so if you have a child starting 5th grade this fall, he/she will have to wait 2 years until 7th grade to start trinity.
Still no word on which upper school teachers will have jobs at TB aside from Amell for football. The Trinity faculty is very strong making it hard to figure out who they would need from Byrnes. If enrollment goes high enough they may have need, but Byrnes never had that many in high school to begin with and it's unlikely 100% will want to transfer considering that after next year they will be paying Trinity's full tuition.
Looks like Brandis Winstead is taking an asst headmaster job at Trinity after all, so 6th will likely go to Clanton and Geddings for English and Math, respectively. Also, the 6th grade at Trinity will exist for only one year before being dissolved. For anyone who thinks this is odd, there are some Byrnes board members with children going into 6th grade so this was clearly worked out with them in mind. In 2013,-14, Trinity reverts to a 7-12 school like they've always been, so if you have a child starting 5th grade this fall, he/she will have to wait 2 years until 7th grade to start trinity.
Still no word on which upper school teachers will have jobs at TB aside from Amell for football. The Trinity faculty is very strong making it hard to figure out who they would need from Byrnes. If enrollment goes high enough they may have need, but Byrnes never had that many in high school to begin with and it's unlikely 100% will want to transfer considering that after next year they will be paying Trinity's full tuition.
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