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East Blost projects progress; district launches public tracker for construction updates
Summary
District staff reported progress on East Blost phases and athletic facility projects, gave timelines for playgrounds, roofing and gym floor work, and announced a new online East Blost tracker for public project updates; board members clarified East Blost funding comes from a 1-cent SPLOST sales tax, not property taxes.
Doctor Mike Barr updated the board on East Blost-funded projects and said several renovations and construction activities are on track for summer work. Renovations to media centers at multiple elementary and middle schools are complete; roofing work at West Newton Elementary is 95% finished and expected to complete before summer 2025; Rocky Plains media center demolition and new lighting, power relocation and carpet replacement are underway.
Barr said playground installations at Rocky Plains and Livingston are complete and installations at Middle Ridge and Herd Mixon are scheduled for mid-June, before the 2025–26 school year. He provided an update on site work for East Bloss 6 athletic facilities at Eastside, Alcovy and Newton high schools and said steel tie-ins and site grading have begun. Barr also said new playground equipment for East Newton Elementary has been ordered for installation during summer 2026 (phase 2).
The district announced an East Blost tracker is now live on the Newton County Schools website to provide the public with real-time updates. At the meeting a board member emphasized that East Blost dollars come from the 1-percent special-purpose local-option sales tax (SPLOST), not property taxes, and described the tracker as a transparency measure for taxpayers.
Barr said coordination is underway for the Newton High School Ramway paving project, with digital signs planned to notify the community of closures. He also noted elementary gym floor replacements and monument sign installations are scheduled over summer breaks to minimize disruption.
Board members asked about coordination with nearby development contractors and logistics; Barr said the facilities team communicates with outside contractors and does not anticipate conflicts but will continue coordination.
