Schools bursting at seams

Pea Ridge schools are continuing to grow and facilities are filling up quickly.

School Board members met in a work study session last week to hear superintendent Rick Neal outline the current situation and the need to come. Neal said he had applied for the 60-40 state partnership funds and expected to receive it for the next construction project.

2016-2017

School Enrollment

Primary — 448

Intermediate — 444

Middle — 510

High — 640

Total: 2,042

"We have unusable space that will impact us on the partnership funds," Neal told board members. "If we don't eliminate some of that, it will affect the funding mechanism."

Board members agreed to demolish the unusable space which includes buildings on the oldest campus, the Intermediate campus downtown. One is the old home economics building, most recently used by Head Start, and the other is the oldest primary school facility. At the following board meeting, board members approved spending up to $200,000 for demolition, minor construction projects and maintenance projects. Assistant superintendent Keith Martin said demolition of the buildings would provide space for a parking lot.

Board members agreed to restructure a bond, providing an additional $400,000 to the district.

Board member Jenny Wood said the study sessions are a good way to evaluate and assess the need and plan for the future.

"This is the first of many conversations over the next several months," Neal said.

"We want to show that we're doing the best we can internally -- maximizing the dollars," board member Ryan Heckman said.

General News on 05/18/2016