District adds school buildings

TEXARKANA — Three schools began, continued or finished construction in and around the Texarkana hub in 2020.

Construction of Texarkana Middle School north of Interstate 30 is in full swing. Texarkana School District Superintendent Becky Kesler said it should be complete by Jan. 25 and that students should be moving in as of February.

The $26 million project does not increase taxes. Instead, bonds were restructured and $6 million in partnership money will be used for the new building. The district plans to furnish the new school using magnet school funds.

It will be the first new school the Arkansas district has constructed in 37 years.

It has grade-specific wings for sixth, seventh and eighth grades. Each wing contains 12 classrooms. A fine arts wing is also included.

The Genoa Central School District in southeast Texarkana started construction of a new junior high school in October. It is scheduled to open in August 2022. The school will be located directly south of the Genoa High School football field. The target date for finishing is May 2022.

The McDougal Group is handling construction. Mark Bailey, with Bailey Architecture PLLC, designed the building.

Bailey said the 65,830square-foot building will feature a full-size gymnasium, 12 general education classrooms, two science labs, two computer labs, a special education classroom, a cafetorium, a media center, a health center and a fully equipped kitchen.

The gym will seat 1,400 people and have dressing rooms. The cafetorium is a hybrid between a cafeteria and a performing arts center. There will also be administrative offices.

The project is estimated to cost $12.6 million. It’s being funded by the state of Arkansas and the district through a partnership program.

On the Texarkana, Texas, side, the Pleasant Grove Independent School District welcomed students and staff members to Margaret Fischer Davis Elementary School for the first time on Nov. 9.

The building is funded through a $19.9 million bond.