White Hall invests $26M in school district
The White Hall School District’s $26 million ongoing construction projects aren’t simply of immediate benefit to the student body, but officials see the work as an investment in the city’s future.
All phases of construction are going as planned at White Hall High School, said Superintendent Doug Dorris.
Dorris said the district had a comprehensive plan in place before the 2.9 mill increase was approved by the White Hall voters in January 2020.
The architect is Jackson Brown Palculict Architects of Little Rock. Nabholz Construction Corp. of North Little Rock is overseeing the district-wide construction.
The project included building two new facilities at the high school, four safe rooms and a new JROTC building.
“It’s something the community will be proud of. We’ll be able to compete with any other school in Arkansas,” Dorris said.
School Board President Dr. Raymond Jones said he and the entire school board are “thrilled with the design.”
“These are state-of-theart buildings,” Jones said. It’s more than new buildings. It’s a statement about the district’s faith in White Hall, Jones said, “We believe in our students; we believe in our community.”
White Hall Mayor Noel Foster said he was pleased with the decision to make the upgrades, especially concerning the fine arts building.
AT THE HIGH SCHOOL
Construction on the high school projects, including two facilities, a fine arts building and multi-purpose building, began about 12 months ago. The sites are expected to be ready for students at the start of the 2022-2023 school year, Dorris said.
Dorris, who is set to retire in June, will be involved in the construction until the work is complete. He reported the projects are on schedule and on budget.
“We were able to lockin (cost) prices early in the process and that hasn’t changed,” Dorris said.
Given the volatility in the market’s supply and pricing fluctuations, Dorris said, “We got lucky.”
INSIDE THE FINE ARTS BUILDING
The estimated $14 million, 48,000-square foot fine arts facility will house an approximately 1,250-seat auditorium and a musical suite with separate classrooms for the high school’s choir and band.
Harvey “Bunny” Brown, president of Jackson Brown Palculict Architects, said, “It’s a full working stage with motorized components,” with the ability to handle fly-in scenes with lines and a choral shell.
In addition to plays or musical performances, the facility can be used for lectures or large projections, Brown said.
The fine arts building design incorporated a lobby and concession stand that joins with the already existing basketball stadium that was built in 1980. Brown said it was “designed unique to the district’s needs, allowing them to focus on their strengths and the programs they want to develop or strengthen in the future.”
While not multi-storied in design, Dorris said the single story facility was built at various levels. The district will allow White Hall resident or business only rentals, Dorris said.
Tana Cook, owner of Mrs Tana’s Dance Factory in White Hall and a regular choreographer for the Arts and Science Center for Southeast Arkansas, said she can’t wait to see the finished product. It’s been long needed, she said.
“The high school has a wonderful choral and band department that can utilize this building. There is even a drama department that will allow it to grow and start performing. It will benefit my studio… Plus it will help fund the school,” Cook said.
The band and choir will begin practicing in the fine arts building in early August.
“This facility will set the district apart,” Dorris said.
MULTIPURPOSE ROOM OFFERINGS
Along with this facility, the district is spending an estimated $6 million on a 53,000 square foot multi-purpose room.
In large part, it is dedicated to boys’ and girls’ sports, spring sports such as softball and soccer, dance and cheer, and for the moment JROTC students will practice there.
It will have a workout area for all students, and male and female dressing facilities, Brown said.
The district recently started work on a separate JROTC building.
SAFE ROOMS
The overall plan included four safety shelters at the district’s elementary schools including Gandy, Moody and Taylor, all located in White Hall, and Hardin at Redfield. The cost was about $4.2 million, Dorris said.
Jones said not only do these offer shelter during an emergency, but the projects free up additional classroom space.
“The safe rooms (safety shelters) are finished,” except for the installation of an electronic “chip” that automatically opens and closes the room’s door, Dorris said.
Like the chip delays that impacted the auto industry, it was felt elsewhere, including at the school district construction, Dorris said. However, the chip has arrived and will be installed soon.
The shelters are Federal Emergency Management Agency-approved and are 24 feet high with 4-inch thick walls of reinforced concrete. The roof is constructed using 6-inch concrete slabs.
The four shelters range in size from 3,000 to 3,400 square feet and are available to faculty and students during an emergency such as a tornado. Depending on the facility’s size, a shelter can hold between 400 and 700 people.
“The safe rooms can be used by the general public when the school is closed,” Dorris said.