On April 26 officials with Halifax County and Halifax County Schools were excited to learn that Halifax County’s Needs-Based School Construction Grant application totaling $31.27 million to rebuild Eastman School was among applications from 28 total school districts to be awarded by the state.
“I am thrilled with the changes made by the General Assembly making this grant program a viable option for Halifax County,” said Halifax County Board of Commissioners Chairman Vernon Bryant. “On behalf of the Board of Commissioners, I look forward to working with (Superintendent) Dr. (Eric) Cunningham and the Halifax County Schools Board of Education to build a school that is part of a comprehensive plan to provide a safe, functional and aesthetically pleasing school for our students and staff.”
According to a press release from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, more than two dozen school districts across North Carolina will share nearly $400 million in new state lottery-funded grant awards for school construction, renovation projects and other capital improvements.
Among the projects to be funded by the grants, which are aimed at districts in economically distressed counties, are 14 new or replacement school buildings, including four high schools, a Career and Technical Education Center, and a pre-kindergarten through 12th grade school.
“The replacement of Eastman has been an initiative since I arrived in 2016. I am grateful to the Board of Commissioners, Board of Education, and State Representatives for working with us and seeing the importance of making this dream a reality,” said Cunningham. “With the grant funds, the district will be able to replace a school that has served the community well. We are looking forward to building a new state-of-the-art facility that will meet the needs of our students for the next 50 years. Without this grant, our ability to complete this project would not have been possible. We want to thank all those involved for their efforts.”
Dr. Joyce Lashley, chair of the Halifax County Schools Board of Education, stated, “This is excellent news! We are grateful for the approval of the grant to build a new school in the Eastman area to serve our students. This was a dream of our past board member Mrs. Susie Lynch Evans. She worked on these plans for many years. Even though she is no longer with us, we are looking forward to moving on with the building plans. The students, parents, and community at large deserve a school closer to home as they continue their education journey. Thanks to all that had a part in helping make this reality come true!"
The grants, awarded under the Needs-Based Public School Capital Fund, represent the largest annual allocation under the program, which was created by the General Assembly in 2017 from state lottery revenues.
The grants are in addition to the state’s lottery-supported Public School Building Capital Fund, from which all districts receive an allocation each year.
Over the last five years, the Needs Based Public School Capital Fund has awarded a total of $739 million dollars to local school districts, providing funding for 60 new K-12 construction projects, including 33 new schools, eight new buildings, and the replacement of 44 existing schools.