Students, parents at College Station Elementary urge PCSSD to fix leaks, flooding and plumbing

College Station Elementary students and parents told the Pulaski County Special School District board on March 11 that persistent building problems — including roof leaks that have soaked classrooms, repeated flooding at exterior entrances, and sewer backups in restrooms — are disrupting learning and creating safety concerns.

Student governor Munya (Monroe) Clemens told the board, “Our students are working hard. We are improving academically… I am asking each and every one of you for support and resources to fulfill past due promises made to the students of College Station Elementary.” Fourth-grader Caroline Moore told trustees, “The rain coming through the roof causes ceiling tiles to fill with water and fall… I am also concerned that the water leaking in our classrooms could get on wires, electrical outlets, or other electronics and cause us to get electrocuted.”

The complaints came during the meeting’s public comment period, where four students described repeated leaks and falling ceiling tiles, and one student, Paisley Knight, reported a plumbing incident in a restroom: “The sewer water out of the floor drain came out. And now because of this, I'm scared to use the bathroom, and I hold it till the end of the day.” Student speaker Coby Seeley said maintenance interruptions make it hard to learn and asked the board to stop delaying repairs.

Bridal Walker, a parent and community member, said parents had been assured a replacement building or major retrofit but that the project has stalled. “We have been made promises for a new school equipped so we can have a better conducive learning environment. We have yet to see that,” she said, and added that inconsistent communication with the district has frustrated the neighborhood. Walker noted the risk if a falling ceiling tile struck a student and asked the board to “be proactive versus reactive.”

Misty Walker and other speakers described daily consequences: flooded walkways at arrival and dismissal, cold classrooms when exterior doors are opened, and the lack of adequate indoor practice space for athletics. Fourth-grader Paisley Knight said her team often stayed late to use Mills Middle School for practice because College Station lacks space, and she described the late travel home for participants.

District staff addressed the public comments during the construction and operations report. “For almost two years now… we redesigned the structure multiple times to try to figure out what could we afford,” said Mister Johnson, a district staff member who presented construction updates. Johnson said preliminary design and funding discussions had ranged from about $3 million up to $13.5 million and that the availability of bonds and state approvals had narrowed the possible scope. “Now we're at the crossroads where potentially providing the bonds are approved through the state for the second lien bond for $15,000,000… you're looking at somewhere around $8,000,000 to deal with this building,” he said, describing the budget pressure that has delayed a larger project.

Johnson told board members he would work on short-term remedies and encouraged community input on temporary fixes. When a board member asked whether a more stable, temporary crossing could be built to replace the wooden plank used where walkways flood, Johnson said he would “get a simple engineer to basically draw what I need and we'll get it taken care of,” and later that the district would “work to get that taken care of.” Several trustees asked staff to return next month with options for short-term fixes to reduce flooding hazards while long-term planning continues.

The public speakers said their appeals were not merely anecdotal: students described missing ceiling tiles and prior mold-related classroom closures. Parents and residents pressed trustees for a clear timeline and consistent communication about plans they had previously been told existed. One parent said neighborhood meetings had created an expectation that a new school had the “green light” and urged the board to keep project timelines and funding transparent.

The board did not take a formal vote on a College Station capital project during the meeting. Several board members expressed urgency for a short-term plan to keep students safe while district staff continue design and funding work for a larger retrofit or replacement. Staff and trustees said they would follow up and return with specific short-term mitigation proposals at the next board meeting.

Ending: Students and parents left the meeting describing exhaustion with repeated promises and slow progress. Board members asked for immediate short-term proposals from operations staff and signaled the district would continue to pursue possible state or bond funding for long-term work. The community requested more frequent and clear updates from district leaders while repairs and planning continue.