Workers found more than expected when surveying for utility lines on the property where a new cafeteria will be built for elementary and middle school students in the Eureka Springs School District.
“When the architect submitted the plans for people to bid on we knew there was the basic water, gas, sewer and electricity lines,” superintendent Bryan Pruitt said. “It turns out we have a spider’s nest of utilities between the middle school and elementary where the new cafeteria is going.”
That discovery forced the school board to approve a $118,000 change order on the cafeteria plans at its monthly meeting Monday, Aug. 14.
“It’s unfortunate the way it turned out,” Pruitt said. “Nobody is happy about it, but we had to do it. We didn’t really have a choice.
“It was a big spider’s web of utilities so now they’ll have to all be put together in one trench outside of the area where the building will sit.”
The school board recently approved the construction of a cafeteria that will include one kitchen and separate eating areas for the two schools. Currently, food is prepared at the elementary school and transported to the middle school each day.
“We need to be able to have a nice cafeteria for our kids where they can have a nice warm meal,” Pruitt said. “We need a place where we’re not pushing the trays of food down the street between the elementary and middle school anymore through rain, sleet, snow, whatever.
“Tuesday morning I was out watching the kids and here comes our cafeteria ladies with these big carts pushing them down the street toward the middle school. And I’m like, ‘yes, that’s why it’s worth it to eliminate this problem to truck food down the street.’ It’s worth it because it’s for the kids and we want the best for our kids.”
The utility lines discovery pushed the construction project back a couple of weeks, Pruitt said.
“The general contractor has to go back to the subs and then they’ve got to rework the contract up to make sure we’re covering all aspects,” he said. “There will now be a wider and longer trench to reroute all the utilities. That’ll require some additional excavation. It’s just a lot of utilities running between there.”
NUMBERS A BIT UP
The Eureka Springs School District had 657 students attend the first day of the new school year on Monday, Aug. 14, Pruitt said.
“We’re up a few students,” he said. “I don’t get too concerned about numbers yet because after Labor Day that will settle out, but we’re up and I anticipate us to be where we were last year if not up 15-20 students.”
The elementary school reported 232 students attending on the first day, the middle school reported 194 students and the high school saw 231 students in class.
NEW HIRES
Also approved by the board were new certified staff hires, including Christopher McKee as the new high school and junior high volleyball coach and PE teacher.
“He’s doing a great job,” Pruitt said.
Other hires include Hannah LaReau as a sixth-grade social studies teacher and Marjorie Kilby as a new part-time counselor for elementary and middle school students.
