While several steps still lie ahead of the Winn Parish School Board before future construction plans for the Consolidated District 12 (Winnfield & Atlanta) are in-hand, the public got its first glimpse of the direction being considered during Monday’s committee session with representatives from Volkert Construction.
At the center of the plan is Winnfield Primary School which currently handles grades kindergarten through Grade 4 in an aging facility, built in 1941. Volkert VP Marco Gonzalez showed members that at today’s requirements and cost, a replacement stand-alone K-4 facility here would run about 75,000 square feet which as an estimated $350 per square foot and would outstrip the $25 million maximum the board could borrow.
Asked about that maximum, Supt. Al Simmons answered that this is a statutory limit, being 35% of the assessed property valuation within the School District No. 12. It can’t be negotiated.
Gonzales then showed members that an affordable option could lie in “building into something you already have.” Here he’s talking about building a shared facility at Winnfield Middle School (circa 1979). While most of the new construction would be specific to the Primary School grades, there is some (he cited the gym and kitchen) where existing WMS facilities could be shared. He estimated new construction at around 40,000 square feet.
As the board moves forward in its planning process, Gonzales said one option could be moving Grade 8 from WMS to WSHS, in doing so creating more classroom space for the merged WPS Grade 4 students.
Each of the three Volkert representatives stressed the importance of hands-on board involvement in keeping the public informed of what the plans are as they face the fall election. “The public will want to know what they are voting on.” They shared cases where issues might have passed if the voters understood. They suggested that members meet with civic clubs, church groups, parent groups, and media to explain the benefits.
The board heard that due to costs, they typically would not engage an architect until after a tax is approved by voters. However, an architect may be willing to provide drawings to show what construction could look like and this could be used by the board during the public educational phase.
If a fall election is called and is successful, the timeline would probably have bonds actually sold around March. Design process is about one year while construction is another two years. Best timing would have the new school complex completed by the start of school in August rather than forcing a mid-year student shift.
Simmons concluded “we’re several steps away” from having a complete plan for the district’s future.