Halifax County commissioners Monday approved a grant project ordinance and administrative agreement related to the Needs-Based Public School Capital Fund grant Weldon City Schools received last month for construction of a new sixth-grade through 12 building.
The North Carolina State Department of Public Instruction awarded the system $50 million for the construction of a new facility.
In documents presented by County Attorney Glynn Rollins, the county is expected to contribute matching funds in the amount of $2,510,399.
The matching funds include $51,000 previously appropriated by the board for preliminary planning, design and cost-estimating services associated with the grant application.
Rollins said the grant was the result of a “lot of really good work with the staff here and the staff with the school system. I was really impressed with the work.”
In establishing the need for the grant, the school system wrote in the application that “combining the two facilities will address multiple needs for Weldon City Schools. The oldest portions of the high school were constructed in 1960 and would not meet DPI standards for renovation.”
The middle school, the system said, has experienced significant moisture issues and requires extensive work. “Weldon City Schools has also experienced declining enrollment so combining two facilities will save on operational costs and will allow for shared amenities.”
In describing the critical need of the project the school system said in the application that the high school houses grades 9 through 12 with approximately 149 students. The middle school houses grades 5 through 8 with approximately 189 students. “Weldon City Schools has experienced declining enrollment over the last several years, so combining facilities provides a multitude of opportunities for sharing spaces, amenities and savings associated with operational costs.”
Weldon City Schools said in the application, “Neither of the current facilities has a physical environment that affords students the opportunity to participate in collaborative 21st Century learning.”
Current science labs are practically unusable because of inadequate wiring and necessary safety precautions.
“Weldon City Schools is consistently identified as a low-performing district so providing facilities to allow for true STEM learning will prepare students for work, college, or military service upon graduation,” the school system wrote.
The new facility would be built to house approximately 400 students and would continue the traditional curriculum in addition to enhancing current elective opportunities including culinary arts, horticulture and business.
Renovating or replacing the high school was identified in the system’s 2020-21 five-year plan facility needs survey. “Combining the high school and middle school is a more recent concept agreed upon by both Weldon City Schools and Halifax County.”
The anticipated bid date is May of 2024 and the anticipated start of construction is June of 2024.
