16 - Opinion (Local Issue)
A New Look: Arkadelphia High School Revamping from the Inside Out
The Arkadelphia Board of Education voted unanimously in August to begin preparations for the remodeling of Arkadelphia High School.
With two new campuses completed, the Board decided to turn its attention to the high school. According to the Arkadelphian, talk of remodeling began on October 11, 2024.
The Board is seeking the public's support for a millage increase of 3.0 mills and reallocation of 2.0 mills to debt service. The property tax increase will help fund the construction of the new building (grades 9-12) to provide new facilities and meet the district's needs.
The building was constructed in 1972 and has reached a point where fundamental systems are failing. State inspectors confirmed that all major systems (the roof, heating/cooling, electrical, and plumbing) need replacing. Fixing these issues is imperative.
The inspection resulted in a Facility Condition Index (FCI) value of 74.8%. Because these results were significantly above the state's 65% threshold for facility replacement, the assessment indicates that repairing the school is an inconsequential expenditure of state and district funds.
Arkadelphia High School is currently ranked #26 on the state's current Statewide Warm, Safe, and Dry Needs. Out of the 1,018 schools in the state, Arkadelphia High School is rated as one of the worst in terms of condition. Approval of the measure will bring the millage for the Arkadelphia Public School District to a total of 47.65 mills. This increased millage will put them in the top 10 highest in the state.
This new facility will help meet the warm, safe, and dry requirements while adding additional facilities such as a safe room, fine arts auditorium, career education center, and arena gymnasium.
An Instagram post highlights exactly what the improvement plan seeks to implement.
According to the Arkadelphia Public Schools District, the state has committed to providing $19,036,447 toward the development of the $62 million new high school (roughly 30% of the cost). The district building fund reserve will provide approximately $6 million toward the project (roughly 10% of the cost). Property tax and real estate taxes will provide up to $37,1700,000 for the new facilities over the course of three decades (roughly 60% of the cost).
Elections were held on November 18, with polls opening at the Arkadelphia Recreation Center. Nearly 16.4% of the 9,221 registered voters living in the district were drawn in. Results were:
For: 1,126
Against: 393
"Now it's time to get to work." Superintendent Nikki Thomas said after the election results were announced. "This is going to be a big step in improving things and making a brighter future for our community. I'm thankful for the community for turning out and voting and supporting our schools, and I'm thankful for all the supporters who made this happen."
Construction is estimated to start in summer 2026, with the completion date ahead of the fall 2028 semester. Until the new campus is complete, AHS students will attend classes at the current building, which will be razed upon completion of the new school.
[A fabrication of what the new high school may look like; picture above leads to source.]
As a 2023 graduate from Arkadelphia High School, the remodeling of the building was immensely needed. Throughout my time there, the ceilings were always leaking, roaches littered the floor, and some rooms were incredibly hot and stuffy. Everything was practically falling apart.
The new building will hopefully encourage participation in extracurriculars and in class, while fostering passions for the arts and sports. Students will be more likely to attend school—as they are not greeted by an environment falling apart at the seams—and these new facilities mean students have more access to the things that interest them. Seeing an emphasis on liberal and performing arts was something that made me happy, as my passion for writing was fostered in that very same district.
[Arkadelphia 2023 graduates; picture above leads to source.]
As someone who values education above everything, my money going toward fostering education is something I have no qualms with. Creating a new environment for students to learn will hopefully foster better reading, writing, mathematics, and technical skills.
The only downside is that since I live next to the high school, I know that traffic and construction are going to get loud—especially when the school gets demolished. It's also bittersweet to see a monumental piece of my history being torn down, even though it's for the better. Many of my school memories reside within those walls, but perhaps it is time for a makeover.
Although the building is being torn down, a new road for future generations and new memories is being paved. By remodeling the building, facilities will ignite interest and foster passions within students, creating a school where students are more likely to engage in class. This is a movement that will change the course of education within Arkadelphia drastically.
For more information, please refer to the Arkadelphia Public Schools Capital Improvement Project website.
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