Just in time for the new school year, officials from the Petal School District are putting the finishing touches on a new building at Petal Primary School that will provide 10 additional classrooms to help with the school’s growing population.
The building, which is located adjacent to the school, is expected to be completed no later than October.
“We’re very pleased with the product,” school district superintendent Matt Dillon said. “If you ride by there, you’ll see the brick colors on the exterior are very similar (to the primary school); you wouldn’t even know the difference if it wasn’t such a new, bright red roof.
“So we’re very pleased with that … and they’re well ahead of schedule. They’re working extremely hard, and they’ve been a great partner to work with.”
The 10 additional classrooms will be able to accommodate approximately 200 students, and each classroom will have its own separate bathroom. It will house Pre-K classes, select activity classes and specialty classes.
“We’re just out of space,” Dillon said. “We had about six portable classrooms out there – those trailers – so this will allow us to get out of those once the project is complete, and once we’re comfortable with the transition of getting the kids into the building.”
Numbers provided by the district show that in 2014, approximately 4,000 students were enrolled across Petal’s five campuses. This year, that number was calculated at 4,400, necessitating the need for additional space.
On May 16, district officials held a special bond referendum at Petal High School, where approximately 80 percent of voters approved a 4.5-mill tax increase on property taxes, which will support the construction of a new elementary school, along with a new multi-purpose center.
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.
“We’re very excited for our school district, our students and staff, our community,” Petal School District superintendent Dillon said after the election. “To get an 80 percent approval rating with a tax investment just shows again how the community supports our school district, so we’re just so excited.
“It was a lot of hard work, energy and effort that went into sharing this information and presentations all across our community, with small groups and big groups. It paid off for our students and staff so they can have the best learning environment and resources that they need to succeed. I could not be more excited for our district.”
One mill is equal to one-tenth of a cent. To calculate property tax, divide the millage by 1,000 and multiply it by the property’s assessed taxable value.
For example, if a city were to institute a .64 millage increase, the owner of a $100,000 home will pay an additional $6.40 per year in property taxes. Property owners who are under 65 years of age with a home valued at $100,000 will pay an additional $45 per year on property taxes. An individual over 65 years of age with the same home value will pay an extra $11.25 annually.
The new elementary school will be built on school-owned property on Herrington Road, adjacent to Petal Primary School. The school will house third and fourth grades and would be constructed to accommodate future growth.
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 anticipation of that construction, district officials have recently overseen the widening of Herrington Road to facilitate traffic flow from Petal High School, Petal Primary School, Petal Elementary School and the proposed new school.
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.
