Pine Bluff School District Superintendent Barbara Warren met with 141 members of the community Tuesday night inside of the Pine Bluff High School cafeteria to share information about plans for facility upgrades and where students will be housed during the 2022-23 school year.
Of the 141 people that attended the meeting 72 were community members, 43 were district employees, 29 were parents or guardians, and 9 were students. Two Pine Bluff City Council members, Lloyd Holcomb, Jr. and Steven Mays, were also in attendance as was Pine Bluff Police Chief Lloyd Franklin, Jr.
Numbers were tabulated by the district as community members signed up to attend the meeting.
Warren began the meeting by discussing the construction plans for a new high school saying there have been no official changes to the original plans, and that the district received funding in August 2021 for the project.
The location being considered for construction of a new high school is located at the current Belair Middle School located on Commerce Road. Warren stated that it was her idea to put the Belair site as a place of “viable consideration” for the new high school.
Warren stated that the Arkansas Department of Education has said that a limited authority board could be in place for the district as early as this fall, and that a final decision on the location of a new high school will not be made until that board is in place.
Warren also covered the draft consideration for the 2022-23 school year in regards to where students will be hosted. Warren stated that there will be one Pre-K center, while elementary schools will be K-6 grades. There are currently two middle schools, but there is a consideration for one middle school for 7-8 grade students. Additionally, Warren stated the draft has two high schools for grades 9-12, with the Pine Bluff High School students moving to the current Jack Robey campus.
This announcement brought disagreement from those in attendance, but Warren cited safety issues on the current Pine Bluff High School campus as a reason to move away from the current campus. She stated that there have been teachers requesting to teach from home because they are fearful.
Warren said one reason for choosing Jack Robey as the location to temporarily house high school students is because you can “lock it down”.
Warren said that another reason for choosing Jack Robey is because a study showed that the current Pine Bluff High School campus cannot fit all 9-12 grade students in the district.
Warren also stated that it is unknown at this time which campuses will host the middle school and Dollarway High School students.
The next public meeting regarding facility plans will be held April 26 at 6 p.m. inside the Pine Bluff High School cafeteria.
