The next steps in major upgrades for the Petal School District are now underway, as dirt work has begun at the site for the upcoming elementary school on Herrington Road and the tennis courts at Petal High School are being demolished to make way for a new multi-purpose center.
The new school, which will sit adjacent to Petal Primary School, will be designed to accommodate the 7 percent increase in student population across the district’s five schools in the span of the past five years. Currently, workers from Codaray Construction are removing trees and performing grubbing measures at the site.
“There’s a lot of work going on with that, and we’re having our weekly check-in meetings to check on progress and see pictures with our architect,” said Matt Dillon, superintendent of the Petal School District. “Everything’s working pretty well, so we’re finally excited about seeing some movement.
“I think it’s exciting for our community to ride down the road and see movement, knowing that movement means progress.”
The upcoming school, which is expected to be ready in two academic school years, will house third and fourth grades. The current elementary school will become part of the Petal High School campus, providing space for the high school, which is home to the largest number of students in the district.
“In 2014, we were sitting right at 4,000 students, but fast forward to this school year, we grew all the way to 4,400 students at one point,” Dillon said at a recent public hearing on the matter. “We have since dipped, as every day, people move in and move out during the school year. But in the last six years, we have grown 330 students.”
During a special bond referendum on May 16 held at Petal High School, approximately 80 percent of voters said “yes” to a 4.5 mill tax increase on property taxes to support the construction of the new school. According to final but unofficial results from the election, a total of 1,142 residents participated in the election, of which 1,1148 voted for the initiative and 294 voted against it.
There were 58 affidavit ballots and seven absentee votes in the election, which required a 60 percent voter approval to pass.
In March, members of the Petal School District Board of Trustees approved a resolution authorizing the issuance of a general obligation bond in the principal amount of no more than $36,600 to begin payment on the project.
“This has been years in the making,” Dillon said. “(That’s from) when we did a study to determine the need for more space in our district because of our growing numbers over the years, then from there going through a bond initiative and all the work going up to that and passing it, and kind of a year’s worth of red tape and the legal side of it.
“Now, finally, to put the bids out, get the bids back and award it to the contractors that we have and see the dirt move – it’s just an exciting time.”
The multi-purpose facility will be constructed on the Petal High School campus and will feature a full-size gymnasium, complete with stadium seating and a stage for arts and athletics. The building also will offer opportunities for the district to host various camps and competitions, such as dance and cheer competitions, as well as JROT exhibitions and indoor percussion events.
The facility is expected to open by Christmas 2025, while new tennis courts and concession stands at the high school are expected to be finished by Christmas of this year.
