BENTONVILLE -- The School Board on Monday approved changes to elementary- and middle-school attendance zones and a maximum price on a building renovation project for the Ignite program.
The zoning changes include tweaks to the elementary zones the board approved last year that are set to take effect next fall with the anticipated opening of Evening Star Elementary on the School District's south side.
The change impacts 76 students in kindergarten through third grade who will be rezoned from Elm Tree Elementary to Jones Elementary. Elm Tree's zone will shrink by giving up a rectangular block -- defined as Arkansas 102 to Southwest Carriageway Avenue, and from Southwest Quartz Avenue to Southwest Elm Tree Road -- to Jones Elementary's zone.
Elm Tree's enrollment had to be reduced because it had been projected to open next school year at 98 percent capacity. Jones was expected to open at only 60 percent of capacity, according to the district's projections.
When the board originally approved the elementary zones for the 2019-20 school year, officials said 1,365 elementary students would have to switch schools under the plan.
The board on Monday also approved a minor change to middle school zones that took effect in fall 2017. A chunk of Ardis Ann's zone in Centerton -- from West Centerton Boulevard to Seba Road, and from Keller Road to North Main Street -- will shift to Creekside's zone next year. Creekside, in turn, will lose a small part of its zone to Barker Middle School.
One-hundred fifth-graders, about 7 percent of all fifth-graders in the district, will be moved from one zone to another, according to Tanya Sharp, executive director of student services. The move was deemed necessary because Ardis Ann Middle School was projected to be at 104 percent of its capacity next year.
Also on Monday, the board approved spending up to $6.1 million to renovate a building the district bought earlier this year to house most of its Ignite program.
The district bought the property at 1510 N. Walton Blvd. for $1.45 million. The 17,513 square-foot building, formerly owned by NCR Corp., is just north of Fred's Hickory Inn. The renovation project is expected to be complete in time for the 2019-20 school year.
Ignite, now in its fourth year, immerses high school students in experiences in a professional environment with support from a facilitating teacher and professional mentors. It offers classes in eight career fields. Each class currently meets in a different place in the community.
Six of the eight career strands will meet at the Ignite building. Construction management will continue meeting at Northwest Arkansas Community College and culinary will continue to meet at the college's Brightwater facility.
District officials considered two other options for providing an Ignite facility, including adding space to West High School and buying and renovating another piece of property. Both of those options would have cost about $9.2 million, significantly more than what the district is spending on the purchase and renovation of the Walton Boulevard property, said Janet Schwanhausser, finance director.
About 250 students are enrolled in Ignite classes this year, but that's expected to grow over the next few years thanks to the space the new facility will provide, Superintendent Debbie Jones said.
"And honestly, we've been wearing out our welcome at places where businesses were kind enough to take our kids in," Jones said. "We could only do that for so long. So it's perfect timing and I would hate to ask those businesses another year to take our kids in and give up their conference rooms and give up their space."
Riggs to relinquish presidency
School Board President Travis Riggs said Monday’s meeting was likely his last as board president. Riggs has been president the past four years and served as president at various other times during his 15 years on the board. The board is expected to choose new officers at its next meeting Dec. 3. Vice president Eric White is likely to take over the presidency, Riggs said. Riggs, 55, hasn’t announced whether he’ll run again when his current five-year term expires next year.
Source: Staff report
NW News on 11/13/2018