New Bloomfield schools to refinance additional bonds

Board refunded other bonds earlier

The New Bloomfield R-3 School District plans to refinance some more bonds next month, the district's board of education was told Thursday night.

New Bloomfield School Superintendent David Tramel said a spokesman for L.J. Hart & Co. of St. Louis, which represents the board in issuing building construction bonds, will appear at next month's board meeting and recommend refunding more bonds at a lower interest rate.

On Jan. 19, the board refinanced $1,130,000 in general obligation bonds at a lower interest rate, saving the district $131,215 in future interest payments.

"This second round of refunding of bonds also will save us a substantial amount of money," Tramel said.

Tramel said the district has applied for a $20,000 state grant to erect flashing school zone signs along Route J in front of the elementary school in order to slow traffic through the area.

In other action, Elementary School Principal Julie Gerloff reported the elementary school staff raised $1,600 to go toward purchasing two Mimio boards, which are computerized whiteboard interactive teaching devices that use large projector screens.

Gerloff said the staff sponsored a craft show and McTeacher Nite to raise money for the devices to be used in the elementary school.

High School Principal Susan Dockery said the high school has been hit twice this fall with outbreaks of influenza. "We have been trying to cope with it by wiping door knobs and surfaces with disinfectants but the flu spreads through families and they are often out for a few days. Some days our attendance has dropped below 90 percent," Dockery said.

To help the tornado-stricken people of Dumas and surroundings, donations can be made to the Delta Area Disaster Relief Fund, care of the Delta Area Community Foundation, P.O. Box 894, Dumas, AR, 71639, or through the Arkansas Community Foundation, 700 S. Rock St., Little Rock, AR, 72202.