In a unanimous show of support, today the Sampson County Board of Commissioners approved a request made by Sampson County Schools’ Board of Education to provide match funding for the construction of a new Hobbton High School.
“Today’s support by the Commissioners is just the first of many steps to eventually get to the finish line of a new Hobbton High School,” said SCS Superintendent Dr. Jamie King. “The road to completion is realistically three to four years. While that won’t benefit current or near future Hobbton students, it will lay the foundation for generations to come.”
The $4.2 million approved by the Commissioners, is part of a required local match of the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction’s Needs-Based Public School Capital Fund (NBPSCF) grant, which supports school districts seeking to construct a new school. Sampson County Schools is submitting a grant request to NCDPI for $62 million.
Approved by the NC General Assembly, funds for the NBPSCF come from annual Lottery revenue. The amount of Lottery revenue appropriated for the NBPSCF for Needs‐Based grants varies annually, subject to action taken by the NC General Assembly. Since its inception in FY 17‐18, revenue for the NBPSCF has varied from a low of $30 million to a high of $436 million.
At their December 4 regular monthly meeting, the Commissioners heard from SCS Superintendent Dr. Jamie King about the critical need to build a new high school in the Hobbton community. Built in 1957, the school’s infrastructure is outdated, overcrowded classrooms hinder effective learning, poorly lit, dark hallways and inadequate facilities limit extracurricular and academic opportunities. The purpose of the NBPSCF grant is to assist Hobbton High School in responding to its anticipated growth needs and alleviate current overcrowding issues; replace dilapidated buildings and modular units for safety and security reasons and boost energy efficiency; and ensure a solid technology infrastructure for learning and effective communication.
While the exact building site location has not been determined, the total cost to construct a new 117,000-square-foot high school is approximately $67 million, which includes the grant request of $62 million, a $4.2 million local match, and a sales tax refund of $1.1 million. It also includes the cost of demolition of the old Hobbton High School.
“I would like to commend the students of the Hobbton community for sharing their story with us through the many emails and letters we have received over the past few weeks,” said County Commissioner Chairperson Jerol Kivett. “They articulated in a very respectful manner the importance of having a new school. They also commented that they understood if we, as the Commissioners, weren’t able to fund the match. Their parents and teachers are to be commended for raising such well-spoken, respectful young people.”
“Today is a day to celebrate and show each other the love we have for our county and our communities,” commented Commissioner Lethia Lee. “It’s a great day to be in Sampson County.”
The NBPSCF grant application is due to NCDPI by January 5, 2024. NCDPI will review all applications and by mid-Spring 2024 will notify school districts of their award status. NCDPI shall award grants in accordance with the following legislative priorities: Counties designated as development tier one areas; Counties with greater need and less ability to generate sales tax and property tax revenue; Counties with a high debt-to-tax revenue ratio; The extent to which a project will address critical deficiencies in adequately serving the current and future student population; Projects with new construction or complete renovation of existing facilities; Projects that will consolidate two or more schools into one new facility; and, Counties that have not received a grant under this Article in the previous three years.
“As a district, we meet six of the seven priorities, so I feel really good about our chances,” King shared. “But this grant is highly competitive, so we’ll keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best.”
