North Pike officials are planning facility upgrades across the district.
Superintendent Dr. Jay Smith told school board members Nov. 4 that local funds and federal funding from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief program would be used to make improvements.
Among those projects is possible upgrades to athletics facilities at both the high school and middle school, where Smith said he and an architect had walked the campuses to survey what might be needed. At Smith’s request, the board earmarked $700,000 in local funds for the athletic projects.
The board also granted permission to perform more evaluation of the facilities and develop artists’ renderings and cost estimates.
A separate athletic project will use federal ESSER funds to upgrade the roof-based air conditioning unit at the high school gymnasium and repair the roof.
ESSER funds will also be used to install energy-efficient windows at every campus except the upper elementary school, which opened in 2019 and was built with energy-efficient windows already in place.
Local funding will be used to replace walkway canopies at the middle school. Smith said the Mississippi Department of Education was “hesitant” about approving ESSER funding for that project.
The canopies “are in horrible condition,” Smith said. “We have an estimate of about $75,000 to replace them.”
The board also:
• Heard a report that some district policies don’t match what has been posted online for the district by the Mississippi School Boards Association. Smith said the district would take greater care to notify MSBA of changes.
• Accepted a quote for cybersecurity insurance.
• Discussed advertising timber sales and solicitations for maintenance services on 16th Section land.
• Accepted a donation from the Puckett-Bradford family in honor of Kristen Ziegler to provide supplies for second-grade girls.
• Hired Loretta Weatherspoon as learning loss coordinator.
• Approved two school bus turnarounds.
