The $3.6 million addition under construction at Bigelow High School is the most significant project in years, Superintendent Eric Saunders said.
“It’s been awhile since we’ve had anything nice and new,” Saunders said.
Middle school and pre-kindergarten facilities were added in 2005, he said.
Saunders said that 1 1/2 years ago, patrons approved a 3.53-mill property-tax increase to build the 24,000-square-foot facility. The increase will bring in approximately $105,000 a year, he said.
The building includes an auditorium and physical education area, a shop and classrooms for the agriculture program, a distance-learning classroom, and four kitchens and classroom space for the Family and Consumer Sciences Program.
“This is exciting,” Saunders said.
“We do not have an agri shop, and it’s been years since we’ve had an agri shop,” high school Principal Dewayne Wammack said, “so we’re excited about that because our kids will be able to do some welding and some woodworking.”
Students travel to the Conway Area Career Center at Conway High School for some classes, Wammack said.
“We’ve got a stage in there, so we’ll be able to have meetings and concerts, plus do our PE without them having to go out in the weather to go to another building,” he said.
A city peewee basketball program will use the facility, too, Wammack said.
“There are some goals and a painted floor.”
Wammack said the facility will also include “a state-of-the-art, just a top-notch Family and Consumer Sciences Lab.”
It will bring new technology and opportunities to campus, but rock from the old gymnasium is being incorporated into the design as a nod to the past, he said. The Works Progress Administration gymnasium, which was in disrepair and hadn’t been used for years, was torn down to make room for the project, Saunders said. Rock from the building is being used in decorative columns at the entrance of the new building.
“We’re going to utilize those rocks as much as we can,” Wammack said.
A rock arch that was built decades ago for the former high school remains on the property, too.
Dates etched on concrete in the arch are 1916 and 1997.
Wammack said the district celebrated its 100th anniversary this year.
Saunders said 1997 may have been when the arch was “remodeled” because of some damage.
Wammack said the goal is for the front entrance of the addition to be used and have “everyone funneled through the front office.”
Exterior doors will be locked for security, he said, although they will open from the inside.
Ground was broken in July on the addition, and “it should be finished this next school year,” Saunders said. Eco Construction of Little Rock is the general contractor for the project.
Wammack said high school enrollment is 305 in the
625-student district.
Junior Seth Nordrum, 16, said he’s looking forward to being in the new building for his senior year.
Nordrum said he will use the agriculture classrooms, as well as the Family and Consumer Sciences facilities.
“I think it’s going to be great,” he said. “It’s going to be new learning opportunities.”
Senior writer Tammy Keith can be reached at (501) 327-0370 or tkeith@arkansasonline.com.