Northwest Arkansas Times: Could one of the area's school districts become the next Jenks, OK?

[Aporkalypse]

I agree. What would precipitate "flight" from what is essentially a suburban area in the first place? This is almost laughable. Not inconceivable though...that's the sobering part.

[KJW]

Spending money on sports faci;ities in no way is indicative of school quality. I used to live in Dover, Massachusetts, at one time, a town that spends over $12K per year per child on education. 99 percent of graduates there go on to a 4-year college. The school is in the top 100 public high schools in the U.S. They don't even have a football stadium! They do have highly-paid, well-qualified teachers, however.

I own lots in Bella Vista. Those in the Bentonville school district are a lot more valuable and easier to sell. I agree with Architect, too--flight from what?? Is it flight from those who teach evolution vs. creationism that will drive people out to places like Gravette for the schools?? What the heck are you talking about?

[KJW]

My son "shadowed" Ron Teasley, the owner of Teasley Pharmacy (which has been in that city and his family for 5-6 generations) in Gravette last month, and Mr. Teasley stopped by our store in Centerton an hour ago. He said:

- Over the past 10 years growth has been steady in the Gravette district at a 7-8% rate.

- The school board just approved a 2 mil increase to build, among other things, additional space on the new upper elementary school constructed 2 years ago...that school is already out of room for its pupils.

- They're wanting to build baseball, softball, soccer fields as well. (Hence also the fundraiser mentioned above). After those are complete the Gravette school system will look at building a new elementary school. I've heard from others they may build in Hiwasse a school which would take in children from the Bella Vista side of the district.

- He said that the lone gravel road which connects Gravette/Sulphur Springs with Bella Vista is going to be paved in the future.

- He spent some time in Oklahoma when Jenks (in the title of this thread) was a separate town. He said when he returned there last year it was "part of Tulsa". Given the future Bella Vista I-540 bypass and that it will have interchanges at Hwy. 72 and the aforementioned newly-paved Gravette-Bella Vista road, he doesn't doubt Gravette may someday be the "Jenks, Oklahoma" of NWA.

[Aporkalypse]

- He spent some time in Oklahoma when Jenks (in the title of this thread) was a separate town. He said when he returned there last year it was "part of Tulsa". Given the future Bella Vista I-540 bypass and that it will have interchanges at Hwy. 72 and the aforementioned newly-paved Gravette-Bella Vista road, he doesn't doubt Gravette may someday be the "Jenks, Oklahoma" of NWA.

[cocothief]

When NWA needs a Jenks, you can be assured that everything you like about NWA will be lost.

[KJW]

When NWA needs a Jenks, you can be assured that everything you like about NWA will be lost.

[Architect]

When NWA needs a Jenks, you can be assured that everything you like about NWA will be lost.

[KJW]

Benton County Realty of Gravette is advertising new homes starting at 110,500, and also a new brick home on 5 acres at 239,000.

Depends on a lot of factors but if prices stay comparable to that as opposed to Bentonville homes in congested areas selling for 282,000 that will be significant some day.

[KJW]

Benton County Realty of Gravette is advertising new homes starting at 110,500, and also a new brick home on 5 acres at 239,000.

Depends on a lot of factors but if prices stay comparable to that as opposed to Bentonville homes in congested areas selling for 282,000 that will be significant some day.

[KJW]

This may not mean much, but while at the library I saw the most recent edition of the Gravette paper that the city's gotten a grant to build a 1 million gallon water storage tank.

The high school's also commissioned its new football stadium and that thing's a gem...I'll post some pictures if I get out in that area. Slyder, I hate to say this as Springfield's my hometown but...I think that stadium's currently nicer than anything the R-VII school district currently has (i.e. Lowe Stadium at Glendale, which used to be the "rich kids' school")...mainly because it's so much newer than anything the R-VII district has.

[masons_dad1]

This may not mean much, but while at the library I saw the most recent edition of the Gravette paper that the city's gotten a grant to build a 1 million gallon water storage tank.

[KJW]

Had a college alumni function not long back...turns out one of the local alumni is also on the Gravette school board. He and his wife live in the Highlands section of Bella Vista.

He said that right now there are about 200 BV kids served by the Gravette schools. However, they're expecting significant changes when the BV bypass is built on I-540. As it is they're prepping for 5-7% growth per year. He also said that one of the interesting features of the Gravette high school is that it has motion powered LED lights (just like the lights in a W-M grocery case) that fire when an approaching person is sensed and shut off when they leave.

Some resourceful movie director could film some interesting sequences in a horror/suspense film using such technology...

[masons_dad1]

He also said that one of the interesting features of the Gravette high school is that it has motion powered LED lights (just like the lights in a W-M grocery case) that fire when an approaching person is sensed and shut off when they leave.

Some resourceful movie director could film some interesting sequences in a horror/suspense film using such technology...

[KJW]

A couple of tidbits:

- A member of the Bella Vista planning commission wants to move the center of Bella Vista west from the Town Center (off U.S. 71) to the Highlands Crossing area. That's in the Gravette School District, FWIW, though I don't know how that will affect the Gravette section of B.V.'s growth. (BTW, the Bella Vista Montessori school has opened, and it, too, is in the Highlands Crossing shopping center. Interesting that they put it on the west side of town but frankly there are a limited number of areas for such a school and the rent's probably better there.)

- Here are articles on the opening of Gravette's new stadium...before their big game on Friday against Shiloh Christian and on the Sunday afterward.

GRAVETTE - On Bill Harrelson's second interview for his current position, Gravette school and community leaders took the Lions' now second-year head football coach on a tour of the hillside. " That's the football field and eight lane track, " one of them no doubt said, spreading two arms wide apart.

"The scoreboard with lots of bells and whistles goes over there. L-I-O-N-S spelled out in hedges down there. Three-story press box (with indoor plumbing ) goes over there. Out there will be baseball and softball fields. Over there will be your added practice field and a plenty big fieldhouse a year or so down the road." Harrelson has said he was impressed.

"Obviously, I didn't know the scope of what they were building here."

[mzweig]

I must say that I really dislike this thread. Why is it in here? Isn't this really a coffeehouse topic? What does it have to do with development? Why would we want a school district to emulate a place that was created due to white flight when we are already a lilly white area?

[Mith242]

Okay then. Guess I'll move this to the coffeeshop forum. If anyone has any questions or problems with it please let me know.

[masons_dad1]

Okay then. Guess I'll move this to the coffeeshop forum. If anyone has any questions or problems with it please let me know.

[KJW]

I must say that I really dislike this thread. Why is it in here? Isn't this really a coffeehouse topic? What does it have to do with development? Why would we want a school district to emulate a place that was created due to white flight when we are already a lilly white area?