Mitchell County Schools will move forward with applying for a $40 million lottery grant for a new school for grades 3-8 after the Mitchell County Board of Commissioners approved the decision during its regular meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 22.
Superintendent Chad Calhoun addressed the board about the grant application during the meeting and fielded questions, noting that the grant is the key cog in the project.
“We’re just hoping to receive the $40 million,” he said. “We can’t do anything without the $40 million.”
With the approval, the school system will now submit the application. Grant recipients are expected to be announced in April.
If Mitchell gets the grant, the exact costs and plans would be finalized in May.
In the meantime, the school system is operating under the highest possible estimates to account for potential hikes due to inflation or world events. Until bids go out, nothing is exact.
Calhoun pointed out that he anticipates the school system will have $5.9 million saved by the time the project would begin. He said the system has been diligent in saving sales tax and lottery money and gave a special shoutout to Executive Director of Facilities Kim Hodshon for her work in saving money.
Calhoun reiterated this his goal is to build a school without putting a burden on local taxpayers.
“We could make it without having to borrow at all,” Calhoun said. “We watch every dollar because we know that it’s taxpayer money. We respect our taxpayers and our citizens.”
The preliminary estimated costs do not include an auxiliary gym. The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction must approve all of the building details from the number of bathrooms to the width of hallways.
Commissioner Jeff Harding, a former Mitchell County Board of Education member, said the new school is desperately needed.
Calhoun, a graduate of Mitchell County Schools, pointed out that when he was in school in 1985, there were roughly 3,000 students. The school system is on track to drop into the 1,600-range next year.
“That’s why we’re struggling,” Calhoun said. “Not just the old buildings.”
But aging buildings are a factor. The NCDPI inspected the county’s school buildings during an in-depth study in 2011 and suggested that Harris and Deyton could operate for a maximum of 10 years beyond that point. The same study suggested Bowman should only operate for another five years.
“Those buildings are on borrowed time already,” Calhoun said. “This school is needed.”
If a new school was greenlit, Calhoun estimates it would be ready for students in August 2024.
The board unanimously approved the decision to apply for the grant. Now, all parties wait.
“If we don’t get the $40 million, nothing happens,” Calhoun repeated. “We can’t make it happen.”