The Greenwood Leflore Consolidated School heard ideas from three architectural design firms Wednesday about how to use funds from a possible school bond issue.
Architect Gary Bailey and representatives of Major Design Studio and Ferguson & Associates Architecture spoke to the board about their envisioned plans.
Bailey, a Ridgeland-based architect, said he has more than 40 years of school architectural design experience. During an impassioned speech, he said that he advises against any consolidation of lower schools. He said that after the lower elementary students move to higher grade levels, they will again be separated into their respective middle and high schools, furthering a cultural and educational divide.
The primary estimate Bailey gave was a basic, non-site-specific high school that would cost about $40 million. He said this figure does not include any needed site work for a new school.
Bailey said he feels the best option is to build a new high school just west of Greenwood High School facing U.S. 82. He said that would be the best location for economic reasons and would help build community pride in a central location.
He said he imagines the following process: After renovation, Greenwood High School becomes the district’s middle school; the renovated Greenwood Middle School becomes an upper elementary school; and students from fourth grade down go to their own respective lower elementary schools in their neighborhoods.
He said this would help the district save an estimated $300,000 per school building that would no longer be in use. No amount for this plan was mentioned in his presentation.
After the presentation, Dr. Ro’Shaun Bailey, the board’s vice president, said he was unsure if Gary Bailey’s ideas would receive the 60% approval needed from voters to pass a bond issue. The two men are not related.
Representatives of Major Design Studio, a Columbus-based firm whom the board had heard from in December, also spoke. They reintroduced some of their previous projects, including ones at the Jackson School District and Jackson State University.
When the team presented last month, they offered four possible solutions ranging from $60 million to $66.5 million.
Additionally, G.G. Ferguson of the Madison-based Ferguson & Associates Architecture firm said he had not yet had a chance to review all the facets of the district’s potential bond issue. Ro’Shaun Bailey recommended that Ferguson discuss the project further with Charles Johnson, assistant superintendent for the district.
G.G. Ferguson said he has overseen projects out of Hinds County and Jackson Preparatory School.
Before the regularly scheduled work session, the board held a special called meeting in which it discussed the bond issue in a closed session. The board took no action.
Also, the board:
• Looked at a sample hybrid schedule that could be used if the district decides to open for in-person instruction. The district had planned to resume in-person classes on Jan. 5, but this was canceled when COVID-19 cases continued to rise.
After the meeting, Dr. Mary Brown, the superintendent, said she did not yet have a new tentative start date for in-person classes and wanted to make sure all the school buildings were up to par for sanitation standards.
• Discussed the upcoming spring sports and athletic training schedule and precautions needed to combat COVID-19. The sports, scheduled to start in March, include baseball, softball and track and field.
• Heard from the Kirkland Group, an educational consulting firm in Ridgeland. Dr. Trecina Green, a presenter for the group, and Carla Kirkland, the CEO of the company, discussed how the team would work to boost the effectiveness of student proficiency in English, mathematics and social studies through different training and instructional methods.
The board said the consultants should return later with more information and data on how their services could benefit the district.
•Contact Adam Bakst at 581-7233 or abakst@gwcommonwealth.com. On Twitter at @AdamBakst_GWCW.
