GENTRY -- What began in October 2015 was realized on Thursday when the ribbon was cut on the new Gentry Intermediate School classroom facility and even more so on Monday when students began classes in the new school building.
The Gentry School Board voted on Oct. 19, 2015, to move forward with a plan to build a new classroom facility at the Gentry Intermediate School, build a sloped roof on the main building of the Intermediate School, renovate systems at the high school and the new agriculture building at the high school and renovate the old agriculture building or put up a new metal building to house a new diesel mechanic training facility at the high school as part of the school district's new focus on career and workforce education.
Total cost for the projects was then estimated to be approximately $8.6 million. State Partnership Funding for the projects would be sought to help pay for the new buildings and other school district projects. Randy Barrett, Gentry School District superintendent in 2015, told the board it was clear the district needs to do something to provide newer and safer classroom space for students in the intermediate school. The plan would include the demolition of the old wing buildings, renovation of the main building on the intermediate school campus with a new roof, and the building of a classroom building to be used in conjunction with the main building.
Barrett asked the board to approve the facilities plan, stating that he was recommending the plan since money was not available to build a new high school as originally hoped and the intermediate school needs couldn't wait indefinitely.
"I don't see a need to send out more surveys," Barrett said. "You're elected to represent the people. I'm going on record to recommend that you adopt these five projects and request a millage increase at the 2016 school election."
Barrett also explained there was no guarantee the state would assist the district with the building project since the district would be competing for limited funding and there could be other applications from schools deemed to have greater needs.
In the spring of 2016, plans prepared by the Hight Jackson architectural firm were shared to build a 57,000-plus-square-foot building, including 18 classrooms and a safe room/commons area on the intermediate school campus, located on South Second Street in Gentry. Proposed plans would make the new building two-stories to accommodate the need for adequate classroom space on the limited-space campus. The look was also modeled to reflect the old two-story brick high school building once located on that campus.
A millage increase of 3.1 mills was proposed to pay for the school construction and improvements, and the increase was to be placed on the ballot in the September 20 school board election.
In August 2016, notification was received that the proposed Gentry Intermediate School classroom project qualified for partnership funding from the Arkansas Division of Public School Academic Facilities and Transportation. The approval meant the state could contribute approximately $1.2 million toward the building of a new classroom facility on the intermediate school campus and the new roof on the building north of the bus tunnel which houses the cafeteria and the art and music classrooms if the voters approved a 3.1 mill tax increase in the School Board Election on Sept. 20, 2016.
On Sept. 20, 2016, voters in the Gentry School District agreed to a 3.1-mill increase in their taxes, with 250 voting for it (68 percent) and 118 voting against it (32 percent). The money will support a $9.5 million bond for an addition at the intermediate school, a career and technical education building, electrical upgrades at Gentry High School and at the vocational agriculture building, and lighting and sound upgrades in the auditorium, according to the district. Additional funding will come from money which will become available when an existing bond is retired in 2017. The total school millage on property in the district increased from 42.9 mills to 46 mills.
In November 2016, the Gentry School Board voted unanimously to make Flintco the construction manager for both the new classroom building on the intermediate school campus and the other construction and improvements projects which were approved by the board when it submitted to the voters a millage increase request in the September School Election. That would include being construction manager for the diesel mechanic lab and vocational classrooms on the high school campus and the reroofing of the portion of the intermediate school building which will be a part of the new school complex.
Work started on the new diesel mechanic lab and career classroom facility at Gentry High School Conversion Charter in January 2017, but the construction of the intermediate school classroom facility had to be placed on hold until the district learned if it will receive partnership funding from the state.
The Gentry School Board, at a special meeting on Feb. 13, 2017, unanimously approved a resolution authorizing Stephens Inc., as the school district's fiscal agent, to file an application with the Arkansas Board of Education to issue second-lien bonds in the estimated amount of $3.1 million to help pay for school construction projects which have been approved by the board, including the diesel lab and career education classroom facility currently under construction and the new classroom facility at the Gentry Intermediate School campus which would be started later in the year. According to Randy Barrett, the additional money was needed because of the cost increase in materials and construction since the first cost estimates were done and presented to the board.
Randy Barrett told board members, "If we don't get partnership funding for the diesel lab and the Intermediate School classroom project, we would be $2.7 million in the hole. If we do get it, we'll be $1.5 million in the hole," he said.
The additional $3.1 million was to allow the school district to complete both the diesel lab and the work on the Intermediate School campus even if no funds are received from the Arkansas Division of Public Schools Academic Facilities and Transportation. If the money would be received, the district could complete some of the other projects the board had approved, including electrical upgrades at the high school, upgrades to the agriculture building and upgrades in the auditorium.
Leadership changed in the district on July 1, 2017. Superintendent Randy Barrett and assistant superintendent Judy Winslett left after putting in so much work to bring these projects to fruition, Barrett retiring and Winslett taking a post at John Brown University. Taking over for Barrett was Terrie Metz. Christie Toland took over where Winslett left off. Jason Barrett, transportation and maintenance director for the district, oversaw much of the construction project for the district.
In July 2017, demolition work began in front of a crowd of school staff and children at the Gentry Intermediate School as an excavator took down a portion of the building's front wall. Keeta Neal, principal at the school, said it was a sad day to see the old school building go but also a happy day because of the new school facility to come for students in the third through the fifth grades.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the newly constructed Gentry Career and Technical Education Center building was held on Aug. 8, 2017, with the new facility used for fall classes. Construction work continued at the Intermediate School.
In January 2018, teachers and staff of the Gentry Intermediate School were allowed to tour the inside of the new classroom facility which was under construction and sign their names on steel beams in the new facility. And a good number of teachers and staff members looked at building drawings, figured out where in the new building their classrooms may be located and signed their names on the steel support beams there in the structure.
Then, this summer, Jason Barrett told the board that construction was ahead of schedule and the new classroom facility would likely be ready for the first day of school on Aug. 13, rather than part way through the fall semester.
And, last week on Thursday, the ribbon was cut and the new facility opened. The high school band played, short speeches were given and parents, students and others in attendance were allowed inside to tour the building and see the classrooms and meet teachers.
And this week, the building is in full use as students filled classrooms and instruction began.
Soon the wing buildings to the east of the new facility will be demolished and hauled away to make room for additional parking and playground space.
General News on 08/15/2018