18 Jun 2012 'Sneak peek' planned at new Conway High School

As workers continue construction on the new Conway High School, volunteers are making final preparations for a “sneak peek” fundraising event.

The Conway Public Schools Foundation is planning the preview event on Thursday, July 19.

According to foundation president Jan Spann, construction of the entire new high school will not be complete by July 19 but enough will be finished to give the community an idea of what the building will look like once school starts in mid August.

“It’s an early preview,” Spann said. “It’s not an open house. The building will not be finished but you can see what the building will be.”

Foundation members toured the construction site last week to finalize the layout for the preview event, which will include music provided by Conway students.

The new, three-story, 165,000-square-foot school will feature 10 science labs, eight special needs classrooms, four art classrooms and six computer labs. The building will also house administration offices and a lecture hall that will seat three classrooms of students.

“Nabholz Construction and our architects, WER, have been working very hard to deliver the building on-time,” said Dr. Greg Murry, superintendent of the school district.

An official open house and dedication are planned Sunday, Sept. 16.

During the tour, foundation board members were also able to get a bird’s eye view of the destruction of the “pods” in the old high school.

"It has been exciting to watch this important transition for our district and our community,” said Murry. “Those who have attended school in the pods have watched them come down with mixed emotion. But we are all excited to get into the new high school in August – what a great opportunity for our students!"

Tickets for the sneak peek are $25 each and can be purchased on the foundation website – cpsfoundation.com.

The foundation has also organized the “Honor the Past, Build a Foundation” brick campaign. For $100, a personalized brick will be placed in the new Wampus Cat Courtyard between the new high school building and the new cafeteria to be completed in 2013. Bricks can also be ordered on the foundation website.

“This new building is the physical presence of the great things happening inside. From academic and athletic achievements to recognition for outstanding teachers and programs, Conway Public Schools ranks at the top in Arkansas K-12 education,” said Spann.

The foundation’s mission is to help teachers help students. Proceeds from the event and brick campaign will be used to build an endowment large enough to fund teacher grants which the foundation will begin awarding this fall. The more money the foundation raises, the more grants can be awarded.

For more information on the foundation, the event or the brick campaign, contact Spann at 501.339.7544 or [email protected].