Certainly a happy Friday at Arp ISD.
As part of the approval of the district's budget for the 2021-22 school year, the Arp ISD school board signed off on plans to pay off a 2002 bond four years before its maturity date Friday morning.
Those particular funds had helped pay for the Arp High School building.
The payment that will be made next February will save the district $32,775 in interest.
The board also gave the I's to lower the school tax rate almost four cents per $100. The new tax rate for the 2021-22 school year will be $1.358. A year ago, it was $1.3927.
"District facility upgrades and renovations combined with our ability to pay off one of our high school facility bonds early, all while seeing a reduction in our taxpayers property taxes, has truly been a blessing," stated Arp ISD superintendent Shannon Arrington.
He also explained how pleased the district administration is happy with all the improvements that have been made over the last couple of years.
These include:
- Elementary classroom flooring
- New gutters at the elementary school
- Resurfacing and seal coating of the high school parking lot that include the Guy V. Lewis Gymnasium parking area and band hall parking lot.
- LED lighting at high school and elementary parking lots
- High school athletic flooring
- New school bus
- New Ag truck
- New desks and chairs at the elementary school
- New desks at the high school
- Guy V. Lewis Gymnasium renovation and new flooring
Money that was available when the 2016 bond passed has helped make these enhancements possible.
"A big thank you to our Arp ISD school board members, past and present. Their willingness to serve our school community has been tremendous. I would like to personally thank former Arp ISD superintendent Dwight Thomas for beginning the process of strengthening our financial standing as a school district," said Arrington.
The total budget for the new school year is $12.5 million.
"Our current faculty and staff team are tremendous folks. Thanks to all who work diligently to give our community a school to be proud of," Arrington added.