Rogers board to buy land for $1.4 million

Property near airport could be home for future elementary

ROGERS — The School District expects to close today on buying 28.3 acres, a $1.4 million deal providing the district enough land for construction of an elementary school.

The School Board on Tuesday unanimously approved buying the vacant land at the corner of North Second Street and Stratton Road, about half a mile west of the municipal airport, from the Dale and Carolyn Webster Trust.

The price comes out to about $49,400 per acre, which is “very competitive” with other properties for sale in that area, said Charles Lee, assistant superintendent.

“If you go further out north, it gets a little bit cheaper, but that’s because there are no utilities out in that area,” Lee said. “But we do have utility access in this location.”

The district has no immediate plans to build another school, but the property is large enough for an elementary school whenever another one is necessary, Lee said. Fairview Elementary School, the district’s 16th elementary, is scheduled to open this fall in the southwest part of the city.

Superintendent Marlin Berry thanked the board for its support of the deal. The number of properties in Rogers suitable for a school are limited, he said.

“We’re trying to position the district for the future in terms of continued growth or whatever facility needs come up,” Berry said.

The property consists of two adjacent parcels — one of 8.65 acres that’s within the city, and another 19.7 acres that is unincorporated, Lee said.

The board held a study session last month, at which time Lee described the district’s search for land and highlighted several properties officials were looking at closely. The Webster property was one of them.

In other business at Tuesday’s meeting, the board voted unanimously in favor of moving forward with the

second phase of a large facility-improvement plan. Most of this phase involves building additional athletic facilities at Rogers High School and Heritage High School and other projects.

The plan includes a new multipurpose room at Heritage to provide space for wrestling practice, off-season volleyball practice and other student activities. A new competition gym would be built at Rogers High School and that school’s current gym would be converted into a multipurpose space, also for the wrestling team and other activities. Both high schools’ wrestling teams practice off campus.

Officials also plan to build baseball and softball fields on the campuses of the two high schools. The idea is to improve access for students and staff and to bring athletic facilities in line with those of other schools in the area, Berry said.

“Our kids deserve the same type of facilities they see when they go to other schools in our league,” he said.

Phase two also includes installing air conditioning in the gymnasiums at Elmwood and Oakdale middle schools and building all-weather tracks at each of the four middle schools. Berry said he’d also like improvements to the performing arts area at Heritage High School.

With the board’s approval, the next step is for administrators to obtain better cost estimates of these projects; they then will return to the board for approval of each

one.

Officials indicated phase two will not cost more than $45 million and the work can be done without requesting a millage increase from voters, Berry said.

Also on Tuesday, the board heard the comments of a Kirksey Middle School teacher concerning the district’s decision to reassign Kirksey’s principal, Mel Ahart.

Pam McCraw read what she said was a statement from fellow Kirksey teacher Melissa Hummer, who described the success the school has experienced under Ahart’s leadership. Hummer couldn’t attend the board meeting, McCraw said.

“Success like this does not happen accidentally. It happens because of a powerful, collaborative school culture and a positive whatever-it-takes

leadership. We have that in Mel Ahart,” McCraw said, reading Hummer’s statement.

Ahart is in her eighth year as principal at Kirksey. She previously served as an assistant principal in Springdale and Fayetteville schools.

Berry confirmed after the meeting Ahart will be transferred to a new role within the district, but exactly which role has yet to be determined. He didn’t give a reason for the move.

The Kirksey principal’s job has been posted. Interviews for the position haveno’t begun, but a candidate likely will be chosen shortly after spring break, he said.