The Elmore County Board of Education approved more than $9 million to update two high schools.
The board accepted a bid of $7,549,500 from First Team Construction Inc. based in Auburn to handle constructing a new building and renovate existing buildings at the Elmore County Technical Center campus.
The planning for upgrades to ECTC has been in the works for some time now.
Elmore County Schools superintendent Richard Dennis received board approval in September 2019 to gather initial costs of a proposed construction project.
He said increased enrollment has caused the school system to invest in more space.
“We have spent a lot of time planning for this one,” Dennis said. “It is a major project for us and it is something we have to do.”
Enrollment at the school has steadily increased from a few hundred students to 800 students.
“Part of the plan here is to help us expand the programs we have now and offer new programs,” Dennis said.
The school is open to students in 10th through 12th grades who attend a high school located in the county and offers numerous programs such as welding, automotive technology, pre-engineering, IT, plumbing, electrical technology and more.
Dennis said it is too early to determine when the project will break ground.
“I’m guessing within the next few weeks they will start doing site preparations,” he said. “It is pretty significant to bring in dirt to fill this area.”
The second construction bid the board approved was submitted by Birmingham-based company Duncan Thompson Construction for $1,653,200. The funding will be used to renovate a portion of the school to increase space for the school band and choral program.
“Our goal is — just in growth we’ve seen — if we create a band room we will have an opportunity to offer seventh- and eighth-grade students band,” Dennis said at a previous board meeting. “It would also free up two or three classrooms that will benefit us down the road as we see growth continuing in that area.”
Dennis informed the board the school system recently purchased 20 handheld and two backpack devices used to sanitize the school system’s buildings and buses.
“We have enough so we can have one at every location,” Dennis said.
He said the school system spent $800 for each handheld sanitizer and $3,600 for both backpack sanitizers.
“We used federal funding to purchase these,” he said. “This will save money in the long run.”
Dennis informed the board the school system intends to survey parents to gauge how many students may end up attending school in a virtual manner.
“Those students who are concerned about going back to local school have the option to be in a virtual platform,” he said.
Dennis said the survey is expected to be released July 6.
In other action, the board:
• Approved several changes in personnel status
• Discussed possibly purchasing software for the system’s child nutrition program
