Bricks from the wall

GREENBRIER A demolished wall showing a row of wall tiles with classroom chairs on them are just about all that remains of the Dean Martin Elementary School visible from Highway 65 in Greenbrier.

A&B Dirt Movers won the bid at the last school board meeting to tear down the existing building and re-do the dirt for $275,600. They were the lowest of five bids.

Dean Martin School was only partially used until mid-October this past year when the new Wooster Elementary School was completed. A new building to house all the sixth and seventh grade students is scheduled to take its place, but not until next summer. In the meantime, Middle School currently holds sixth and seventh grades in two buildings on that property. This year there will be two portables set up across from the football field on the east side of Building 1 for three classrooms and a counselor's office. Greenbrier currently has three K-5 grade schools: Eastside Elementary, Westside Elementary, and the new Wooster Elementary. Todd Edwards, principal of the middle school is looking forward to having a new third building for all his sixth- and seventh-graders in one area.

At a recent school board meeting, Steve Lucas, principal of Greenbrier High School, presented a proposal for new synthetic turf for the football field.

"The Greenbrier Athletic Foundation Turf Project is almost 50 percent funded toward its $650,000 goal," he said.

He was excited to announce already being half committed with either outright pledges of money or donations of goods and services in only three weeks. Three concrete companies in town are donating concrete work. Nabholz will do the dirt work, which will save about $22,000 and further pledged another $30,000. The county has agreed to haul rock to save about $25,000. Another group is planning to donate rock. There has been $80,000 already committed by the athletic club, the band club and the Pee wee Football group. Many private pledges in $1,000 donations amount to about $25,000. First Security Bank has made a major commitment, as has Brooks Jackson, the Greenbrier Architect. Most of these pledges are over the next ten years, payable early each year.

Superintendent Scott Spainhour said, "This is such a positive response. We normally spend about $18,000 to $20,000 on this field each year in maintenance. We also have many rainy times when the field is so soggy that it's unusable, especially for our band kids. We're taking a chance, but it has to be done. This is not something I would normally go ahead and do; but with such a tremendous response from the community, there is no doubt of its success. This is a great endeavor."

The school board voted to proceed with the project and get bids as soon as possible. It was noted that Conway, Vilonia and Little Rock high schools are all opting for new synthetic turf on their fields also.

With the installation of a synthetic turf surface on the field at Don Jones Stadium, the availability for year-round use increases dramatically. There are currently 60 football varsity, junior varsity, middle school, junior high, and youth football games played on the field each year, as well as 36 spring soccer games. There are band competitions/festivals (plus practices), 7-on-7 competitions, community events/concerts, an elementary track and field weeks planned each year. About 925 students are on the field during the year, plus visitors.

"Legacy Logos" can be embedded in the turf on both the home and visitors sides of the field for the first major donors giving over $20,000. Bumper stickers, window stickers, and recognition on a banner or plaque at the entry to the stadium will be done for donors of $999 and under. More about the turf project can be viewed online at gps.K12.AR.US/sports and donations can be made by calling 501-679-4808.

The board further discussed the stimulus money that will be coming to them in two installments amounting to $270,900 over two years. They approved preliminary stimulus expenditures but it is not known exactly when the money will arrive. It is "one-time" money that will be lost to the district if they do not spend it. Some of those expenditures discussed included computer lab upgrades at the middle school and Eastside School, upgrading science lab equipment at the high school, band instruments and fencing a portion of the new Wooster Elementary school. The stimulus money will be paid in two installments of $226,431 and then $44,469.

Residents are urged to call 501-679-4639 as soon as possible to register Kindergarten and Head Start children for the fall school term.