The Covington Independent Public Schools Board of Education officially began a search for consultants to advise on updates to the district’s master facilities plan at their meeting on Thursday. The board voted to approve advertisements for requests for qualifications, which solicit the advice and input from professional third-parties.
“[It’s been] a long time coming, but it’s here,” Board President Tom Haggard said.
The idea of revising the district’s facilities plan was first prompted by the possibility of consolidating the district’s elementary schools, a proposal that came before the board last school year.
The proposal proved unpopular among the public, so the board began searching for alternatives. They decided to begin by reassessing the district’s overall facilities plan with an eye to making it “easier for us to have data to make that decision,” said Board Member Stephen Gastright.
The board met multiple times in the months preceding Thursday’s meeting to discuss the current state of district facilities and how best to plan for the future.
The board should have all of the bids collected over the next three weeks. There was no indication from the board on the likelihood of future school consolidation.
The next meeting of the Covington Board of Education will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 12 at 6 p.m. at Sixth District Elementary School on Maryland Avenue.