A new Pine Bluff High School is planned for opening in time for the 2026-27 school year to the tune of $73,914,116.

That is the guaranteed maximum price the Pine Bluff School District received from East Harding Construction that the school board approved Monday night at its regular monthly meeting. The cost for the new 172,500-squarefoot high school, which will be constructed at the present site on West 11th Avenue, comes out to $428.49 per square foot.

Board members voted 5-1 for the maximum price, with Lori Walker Guelache casting the lone dissenting vote. She asked if the scope of funding could be raised to address other needs within the district and expressed concern that the board was hurried into a vote to accept the price.

“We’ve been in crunch time the entire time from the design phase,” Superintendent Jennifer Barbaree said. “Since April 30, I’ve been working with construction management on bids.”

Voters in the PBSD said yes to a unified, increased millage rate

of 47.7 to help fund construction. The increase is expected to yield about $65 million, with $12 million available to the district through match funding by the state of Arkansas.

Barbaree announced that 22% of the bid packages will be awarded to local, minority and/or women-owned businesses. As part of the project, about 250,000 square feet of buildings will be demolished starting June 17, and many of the buildings will be crushed on-site and reused as fill material.

The new buildings will include a two-story classroom building, career and technical education center, media lab, kitchen and dining, a 7,500-square-foot practice gymnasium that will double as a tornado shelter, 2,200 seat basketball arena, 900 seat auditorium and central courtyard.

Structures that will remain include the PBHS Academy, Jordan Stadium, field house, track (to be resurfaced) and a portion of the northeast parking lot. Trice Gymnasium will remain as a visitor locker room through the 2025 football season and then will be demolished.

The site will be raised 6 feet on average to clear the floodplain.

Pine Bluff High School staff is prepared to start moving out from the present campus to the old Jack Robey Junior High on June 3, with abatement scheduled for June 10. Substantial completion is scheduled for June 30, 2026.

TOP-NOTCH SINGERS

Pine Bluff High School choral musicians earned a first-place Superior rating in the mixed chorus division at the Parks National Music Festival in Chicago earlier this month. The choir, directed by Kourtney Smith, performed a selection during the board meeting.

Barbaree presented the singers with Showing Your Stripes certificates.

VOLUNTEER HOURS

Assistant superintendent Phillip Carlock explained the state law for graduates, starting with the class of 2027, that each graduate must perform 75 hours of community service between grades 9 and 12 to graduate.

Arkansas’ LEARNS Act, or Act 237 of 2023, outlines the standard. PBSD board members approved a recommendation that students record a minimum of 15 hours during their freshman year and 20 hours in each year afterward to satisfy the requirement. Under Act 648 of 1993, a student could attain 75 hours of community service for one academic credit, but it was not required.

Barbaree said organizations requesting volunteers could reach Carlock at the PBSD office.

PERSONNEL MOVES

The board approved the following personnel transactions:

Certified employment: Vonda Taylor, dyslexia interventionist, 34th Avenue Elementary School (effective July 1);

Classified employment: Tonya McNeary, pre-kindergarten ABC paraprofessional, Forrest Park/Greenvile Preschool (effective July 1);

Certified resignations: Gayla Case, James Matthews Elementary classroom teacher (effective May 20); Natasha Dunn, district assistant special education director (effective June 30); Willie Gulley, junior high instructional facilitator (effective June 21); Jarren Jefferson, junior high math teacher and coach (effective June 14); Amber Scott, Southwood Elementary teacher (effective May 31); Angela Sowell, Southwood special education teacher (effective May 31); Tiffany Surratt, Southwood instructional facilitator (effective June 21); Linzee Webb, Southwood Elementary teacher (effective May 31); Delany Wells, Matthews teacher (effective May 31);

Classified resignations: Pamela Ervin, executive assistant to the superintendent (effective May 31); Annie George, 34th Avenue paraprofessional (effective May 31); Vernice Meadows, Southwood due process secretary (effective June 14); Maxine Stepps, bus attendant (effective May 3);

Certified retirements: Myrtle Brown, Broadmoore Elementary dyslexia interventionist (effective May 31); Darnesia Carter, Broadmoor special education teacher (effective May 31); Shena Comba, high school FACS teacher (effective May 6); Napoleon Hilson, auto mechanics teacher (effective June 14); Kevin Yates, junior high classroom teacher and coach (effective June 14);

Classified retirements: Sondra McDonley, juinior high paraprofessional (effective May 31); Ingrid Stocker, Matthews paraprofessional (effective May 31);

Transfer: Pattie Taylor, classroom teacher to dyslexia interventionist at Broadmoor (effective July 1).