JONESBORO — During its regular meeting Monday, Feb. 5, the Clayton County Board of Education unanimously approved a bid to renovate the historic Rosenwald School.
The contract is with Multiplex of Duluth, and the cost is expected to be more than $3.34 million.
The bid price came in at more than $2.7 million with architecture fees of more than $162,0000, furnishing/equipment for $200,000 and 10% in contingencies at $270,000.
The renovation will include a model classroom, museum, and meeting hall.
Interior improvements include office spaces, new lighting, upgrades to the low voltage systems, new finishes and restroom fixtures.
Other improvements include a new roof, HVAC, door, hardware, signage and landscaping.
The project is being paid for from 1% Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax money.
The Rosenwald School was formerly known as the Jonesboro Colored School and was built in 1931-32 for African-American students.
Prior to the building of the school, Black children were often taught at home or in local churches.
In 1917, Booker T. Washington and Julius Rosenwald joined forces to build rural schools for African American children in the South.
Using Rosenwald’s money and Washington’s beliefs of self-reliance, grants were awarded stipulating contributions from the state and local school systems. Both Black and white residents were required to contribute money, land and labor.
According to Fisk University in Nashville, where the Rosenwald Fund was headquartered, Jonesboro’s building cost $5,325 to build.
About 5,388 Rosenwald schools were built across 15 states. Of those, 242 were in Georgia educating some 35,000 African American children in the state.
Also during the Feb. 5 meeting, the school board unanimously approved a $12 million bid from Meja Construction of Peachtree City for modernizations of Northcutt Elementary and North Clayton…
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