New classrooms planned for West Fork High School
Posted on Tuesday, December 11, 2007
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/nwat/News/60125/
WEST FORK — Board of Education members discussed proceeding with a planned four-classroom addition at West Fork High School during their monthly meeting Monday.
The board voted 4-0 to hire the Hight-Jackson Associates architecture firm to develop the design plans for the addition.
Architect Gary Jackson said the plan is to add two new science labs, two classrooms and storage space for the science labs in an undeveloped area along the hallway that circles the library.
The board also decided it would hire a contractor for the project by a competitive bid process rather than the construction management approach, in which a construction company is hired to administer the project for a set price.
“ I don’t believe construction management fits your project, ” Jackson said.
The Arkansas Department of Education’s academic facilities division will pay for about 67 percent of the project under the partnership program for building improvements. Schools receive funding based on the district’s wealth index, a formula that considers enrollment and a district’s property values.
On another matter related to buildings, the board authorized spending $ 5, 400 to hire the consulting firm Achievement Advantage to help update the district’s 10-year building improvement plan with the Department of Education.
Districts are required to have a 10-year plan on file with the state and update it every two years.
Superintendent Diane Barrett said Mike Gray, a former associate superintendent for Fayetteville and past superintendent of the Farmington district, will be the firm’s primary contact with the district.
In other business, Elementary Principal Pat Thaler reported the school was awarded two grants totaling $ 3, 500 to develop a rain garden on the campus. It received a $ 1, 000 grant from State Farm and $ 2, 500 from the Northwest Arkansas Community Foundation.