The Roanoke Rapids Graded School district will try a third time for a Needs-Based Public School Capital Fund Grant for a pre-kindergarten center on the campus of Manning Elementary School.

Superintendent Julie Thompson told the Halifax County Board of Commissioners this morning that no changes have been made since the school system applied for the grant last year.

“It’s the same amount we asked for the last time. We feel really good about this plan.”

Kindergarten classes are held at Clara Hearne, which is an 89-year-old building that Thompson said has exceeded its realistic life cycle by almost 20 years.

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It is experiencing many age-related issues and repair concerns in addition to safety concerns. “It can only support 165 students, which is about half of the potential student population for 4-year-olds in the school district.”

While the school system was not awarded the grant last year, Thompson said it was encouraged to reapply.

The pre-K center would be large enough to serve all 4-year-olds in the district “in a building that is safe, inviting, and meets all students’ needs,” she told the board.

The building would accommodate 285 students and meet requirements for a five-star facility. It would share Manning’s kitchen and have one secure entrance, as well as a contained outdoor playground.

Thompson said the track parking lot would be expanded to allow the required amount of parking spaces. The track and bus loop would not need modifications. “But we will change the start and end times for the pre-K center to accommodate all parents picking up and dropping off their children in a timely manner.”

With 17 classrooms, the center would also have three self-contained classrooms for exceptional children.

The cost projection is $19,894,795 and includes a 5 percent county match of $994,740.

The deadline for submitting the application is September 13.

Commissioner Linda Brewer, before making the motion to approve the school system submitting the application, said, “I’ve worked in that building over there when you had to leave the door open in the winter because you couldn’t control the heat and about 55 percent of the staff would have pneumonia or something related to that every season.”

Said Brewer: “I am such a proponent of early education. I think there are many, many studies out here that show what it does for a child.”

Commissioner Sammy Webb seconded Brewer’s motion.