ROGERS -- The amount of money that's flowed into the School District through local grants and donations this school year is nearly double last year's total, according to a district official.
Debbie Atwell, director of professional development and grants, told the School Board on Tuesday the district has received $424,510 in local grants and donations this year compared to $215,713 last year.
Much of the increase is attributed to grants from the Rogers Public Education Foundation, which is distributing a combined $151,162 to 147 teachers this month. That's a 27 percent increase in grant money from last year and nearly a 300 percent increase from the 2013 total.
The foundation had requests for $640,000 in grants this year, according to its Facebook page. About half of the grant money went toward technology items such as laptops and Apple iPads.
"It's a group of volunteers who, with a lot of hard work, make that happen," said Superintendent Janie Darr about the foundation.
The foundation raises much of its money through its annual Wall of Distinction event, held to honor certain distinguished alumni, teachers and community members from the district.
The Clorox Foundation also chipped in this year with 26 grants worth a total of $26,313. Those grants were for such things as books, technology items and outdoor gardens, Atwell said.
Also at Tuesday's board meeting, the board received a land evaluation report on 80 acres the district owns in southwest Rogers.
Crafton Tull, an architectural and engineering firm, had been hired to develop a feasibility plan for multiple facilities on the rectangular piece of land, which is sandwiched between the Silo Falls subdivision to the east and the Bellview Estates subdivision to the west. The district has owned the land for about 10 years.
A map produced by the firm showed the footprints of both an elementary school and a high school on the site. The firm proposed installing a retention pond that would take up 4 acres.
West Garrett Road, which runs along the south side of the property, would need to be improved before any schools are built there, said Wes Burgess of Crafton Tull. The firm also proposed a private road running along the east side of the property to better facilitate traffic.
One of the things the study looked at was the availability of utilities. Jim White, the district's chief operating officer, said utility access is good.
"That is obviously something that is very, very important," White said.
Burgess called it "a very good site."
Jerry Carmichael, board president, said the board had asked district administrators to provide a picture of what some schools would look like on the property. The board did not take any action related to the presentation.
"Really, tonight it's just for informational purposes," Carmichael said. "I don't know that we have any next steps other than to see that."
NW News on 05/20/2015