STARKVILLE — The Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District is moving forward with building maintenance projects at Sudduth Elementary, Overstreet Elementary, Starkville High School and the Millsaps vocational campus.
Half of this work will be done with the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds, but the other half will be funded with a 10-year special obligation bond for capital improvements.
SOCSD has been given a total of $24 million in ESSER funds, but only $7.2 million has been allocated for construction. In March 2021, SOCSD issued $7 million in bonds and added nearly $1 million more in district funds to the effort, according to SOCSD Public Information Officer Nicole Thomas.
“This means there is roughly $15 million total available to address facility improvements,” Thomas said.
Some work has already been approved such as painting inside buildings and getting a new HVAC system for Armstrong Junior High School, among other projects.
Sudduth and Overstreet will soon join AJHS in getting completely new HVAC systems. According to architect Thomas Stewart, all HVAC systems being replaced are done with ESSER funds, and because there is a timeline on when those funds must be used, they will take priority.
ESSER spending must be completed by certain deadlines, Thomas said, with all being spent by the end of 2024.
“HVACs will take priority, then anything with district funds doesn’t have an immediate timeline,” she said. “However, they are trying to bid them out by school, almost in chunks.”
Along with a new HVAC system at Sudduth, the school board approved interior painting and playground improvements there. Currently, the playground at Sudduth is not fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and it includes equipment that is not age appropriate.
“We’ll be moving the equipment that is there, except for the newer porting that is on the rubber part, and replacing it with age-appropriate, safe equipment,” Stewart said. “The part that is on the rubber that is staying was done about 10 years ago now. All the rest of it is going away. The new stuff will be sensory and ADA compliant, and there is going to be a small half basketball court out there as well.”
Overstreet will see window replacements and interior painting. SHS will have the West Wing reroofed, a new waterline put in, fencing and entry gates at the softball and baseball fields put in. The softball field will also get a new press box and concession stand, and the football field will see a press box expansion. Millsaps will get the interior painted.
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