TASD proposing new middle school
Voters to decide bond restructuring for funding
The Texarkana, Ark., School District could get a new middle school if voters approve a bond restructure item on the Nov. 4 ballot.
The move, which would generate $15.6 million, would not increase the district’s 38.9 mill tax, but extend the retirement date on the school’s current bonds by 30 years. The rate includes 25 mills for maintenance and operations, with the remaining 13.9 mills going toward debt service.
Building a new middle school will benefit the district in many ways, said Dr. Becky Kesler, TASD superintendent.
“Basically, we really want to build a school all students go through. With this, all of our elementary kids get to go through this school, and that was really important to us,” she said. “Right now, our kids go to elementary school, middle school, then junior high and high school.”
If the restructure passes, students in kindergarten through fifth grade would attend the elementary school, with students in sixth through eighth grades attending the middle school.
Kesler added that a new middle school will also help TASD better extend the science, technology, engineering and math programs for which they’ve received federal grants by allowing them to build science labs and other spaces for STEM studies.
“Having the (magnet) money going into the project instead of after the fact is really going to make a difference,” she said. TASD recently received a $14.7 million federal Magnet Schools Assistance Program grant from the U.S. Department of Education to continue STEM
education from the elementary schools to the middle and high schools.
The district also received a $9.4 million magnet grant in 2013 and a $9.7 million grant in 2007, both of which were designated for the elementary schools. Magnet funds can be used for technology devices and programs, but not for buildings, Kesler said.
The $15.7 million would be used along with $6 million in partnership funds from the state, a combination she said will help the district better serve the each of the 900 students who would attend the new middle school.
“There’s so many STEM components we can include in building a new school with labs … and all the components that go along with STEM,” Kesler said.
According to a district press release, each of the schools was built at least 30 years ago.
Arkansas High School is 67 years old, North Heights Junior High School is 46, and College Hill Middle is 51. Washington Charter School was built the same year as Arkansas High, and Union Elementary was built 62 years ago. Trice Elementary is the newest building at 34 years old. College Hill, Fairview and Kilpatrick elementary schools are at the 60-year mark.
District spokeswoman Genia Bullock said TASD would combine College Hill and Union elementary schools in the College Hill Middle School building. North Heights Junior High would also become an elementary school.
Bullock said the district has about 22 modular buildings, and the reorganization and school construction would put children back in classrooms instead of aging outbuildings.
“Putting K-5 students in College Hill Middle School, as well as making North Heights an elementary, is going to allow us to get our students out of those modular buildings and get rid of those,” she said.
She said district officials are considering putting the maintenance and transportation services at College Hill Elementary and are still looking at options for Union, which is a safe shelter that can be used during a catastrophe.
Bullock said the district is unsure where the new school would be, and they are seeking a 30- to 33-acre tract of land for it.
“We have not secured land so far,” she said. “We are continuing to look for some and have looked on both the north and south sides of I-30. However, we do not have any property located. Right now, we’re getting feelers out there to see what would be available.”
The district applied for the partnership funds in 2015 and received approval from the state in May. To receive the funds, Bullock said the district must begin the project by Oct. 27, 2018. The district used a similar state partnership to build Phase 1 at Arkansas High in 2016, she said.
Kesler said TASD appreciates the community’s support. The Miller County Quorum Court and the city of Texarkana, Ark., passed resolutions earlier this week favoring the bond restructure.
“We’re grateful for the support we’ve received from the city, county and community,” she said. “… The bond restructure will benefit the students of TASD, and we are excited about the possibilities.”