Fort Smith School Board Adopts Master Plan

Jan. 28--The Fort Smith School Board on Monday unanimously voted to adopt a master plan that will feature development of a third high school among other projects spanning at least the next six years.

The 2014 Master Facilities Plan calls for a new high school campus, a districtwide shared event complex that will include a performing arts center and another multipurpose facility, a multipurpose media center at Southside High School and tornado safe rooms at both Northside and Southside high schools.

The resolution adopted Monday attributes $65 million to the development of the new high school, $16.2 million to the performing arts center, $22.8 million for the multipurpose facility of the events complex, $2.27 million for the multipurpose media center and $3.2 million each for the tornado safe rooms.

On Jan. 13, Superintendent Benny Gooden outlined the state-required plan for members of the community and Fort Smith School Board. In that presentation, Gooden presented a chart that showed enrollment could reach 17,000 students by the year 2023.

Fort Smith currently has 19 elementary schools, four junior high schools, two high schools, an adult education center and an alternative learning center. A third high school would accommodate growing enrollment, Gooden said.

"The board's taking a forward look -- not just looking at today, but they're looking out five or 10 years," Gooden said.

After the school district receives state partnership funding, school officials will be able to determine a local share and present the cost to the voters, Gooden said at Monday's meeting.

School board member Deanie Mehl asked Gooden how much the district could expect to see from the state, but Gooden declined to speculate. Either way, a millage increase would be required.

The school district's current millage rate is 36.6, which hasn't changed since 1987.

In December, 98 acres of donated land at Chaffee Crossing were set aside for the site of the new high school.

In other business Monday, the Fort Smith School Board voted to intervene in the Deer/Mount Judea School District funding formula lawsuit against the state. Van Buren and Greenwood school districts also voted to intervene in the case earlier this month.

"We're just trying to protect our interests. That's all we're doing," Gooden said. "When you're an intervener, it gives you an opportunity to put in evidence that you wouldn't get to do otherwise. If you don't get a seat at the table, you may be on the menu."

The school board also unanimously voted to direct Gooden to "take whatever action is appropriate" to ask the state not to require the district to obtain liability insurance for pre-K programs licensed by the Department of Human Services. Van Buren and Greenwood school districts earlier this month adopted similar measures.

Gooden also announced during his report that three pilot schools -- Morrison and Sunnymede elementary schools and Ramsey Junior High -- will implement a "total digital conversion" next school year. Gooden advised that students at those schools would see fewer textbooks and have the ability to take home with them electronic devices provided by the schools.

"Young people are technological natives, and we want them to fully utilize their assets," he said.

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