CHARLESTON — The state School Building Authority handed out more than $6 million in funding Monday for a handful of school construction projects in West Virginia.
The agency had $5 million to allocate under its Major Improvement Projects (MIP) program and just more than $1 million as part of its 3% grant program.
Both Harrison and Kanawha counties received $1 million MIP grants.
Kanawha County will use its grant for a $3.5 million renovation project at Alum Creek Elementary School, SBA Director of Architectural Services Ben Ashley said.
“They are combining the two buildings with a hallway. They’re moving the office to the front of the school to better process the visitors separately from the students. They are removing a portable classroom and making it one safe facility,” Ashley said.
The $1 million grant going to Harrison County will be part of a $2.5 million impacting Lost Creek Elementary. Ashley said the school will be moved to West Milford where it will use an unused wing of South Harrison Middle School plus a classroom addition to create a new school.
“They’ll be able to house a new school there in its own wing,” Ashley said.
Other MIP grants went to Jefferson, Pendleton, Pocahontas, Wayne and Webster counties.
The 3% grants will fund things like roof replacements and water treatment improvements at four multi-county technical education centers. The Roane-Jackson Technical Education Center tops the list at $464,000.
It’s anticipated the SBA will have approximately $56 million to allocate in Needs Grant funding later this year.
Monongalia County, meanwhile, will go before the SBA sometime after this fall. The district will ask the authority to help bankroll a renovation at Ridgedale Elementary.
Preston County did submit an application for funding for more security, however that request was not granted.
Ground will be broken in coming weeks for the first phase of the $6 million project, which will add eight additional classrooms to the K-5 school on Goshen Road.
The district will ask the SBA to match funds for the second phase of work.
Interviews with county school superintendents are scheduled for Nov. 4-5 with the funding decisions set for Dec. 9.
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