Members of the Eureka Springs School Board heard a presentation Monday night for a new bus barn. Josh Siebert, with Modus Studio, led a detailed exploration of possible approaches for a new site with a new building. The school district already owns a five-acre parcel on the west side of the campus, and that site will provide ample space for present and future needs.
Siebert said his team began an intense process in July, surveying the property and listing terrain features and the location of trees. The triangular lot would allow space for parking the school’s 14 buses, and those buses would be able to pull through the lot without backing out.
The presentation featured a pre-engineered metal building, but Siebert showed a variety of architectural details that would make the building more attractive. He also showed a variety of rooflines to give the board options. The building, about twice the size of the existing bus barn, would have four bays, with one bay dedicated to washing buses.
In response to a question, Siebert said at least one bay should be climate-controlled, and noted the temperature that day had reached almost 100°. Siebert also fielded a question about adding a solar array to the roof, but said the relatively small size of the building would mean the district would face a long period before recovering its initial expenses.
Costs of the project will also dictate whether the district can afford to install a fence around the lot, although all agreed that fencing would help protect the buses and the barn.
Siebert described his presentation as “a first glimpse,” and said his firm will return to study the site. They will also continue seeking input from the district’s transportation department.
In other business:
Supt. Bryan Pruitt delivered a report on advanced placement testing from the end of the last school year. He listed the variety of tests, and the number of students taking each test, and said 74 percent of students received college credit for their test results. Pruitt described the results as “very good,” and noted excellent results for students taking virtual classes. A more detailed exploration of the test results will be included with the annual report to the public in October.
The board voted to change the Memorandum of Understanding which underlies the Connect 4 vocational training center in Berryville. The changes will allow the center to apply for a grant of $1.5 million for adult education. Pruitt noted that the grant would not only increase the center’s outreach, but some of the grant money could be used for equipment that benefits the high school students already attending the facility.