The last time the District increased its millage rate was in 2008. The district has completed 14 improvement projects since 2008 without asking for a millage increase.

The current high school is ranked #20 out of 982 on the Warm, Safe, Dry Statewide Facility Needs List and #12 out of 234 Space Statewide Needs List*, indicating a critical level of deficiency. The existing structure is severely compromised, with significant issues such as the separation of masonry from the foundation. Many of the classrooms no longer meet state standards, and the plumbing system is failing due to recurring sinkholes. Continued investment in repairs is no longer a viable or sustainable solution, as such efforts fail to bring the facility up to code and do not represent an efficient use of funds.

By constructing a new facility for grades 7–12, we will be able to bring all students into a single, secure, modern building that is warm, dry, and safe. This will allow us to retire the failing outbuildings that were never meant to be a long-term solution.

The District has been approved and awarded a total of $9.9 million in project funding by the State. With this secured funding, the District is now able to request voter approval from Patrons for a millage increase to provide the remaining funds necessary to complete the project. We are looking to pass a 6 mill increase to pay for the school. This will cost most people in town around $9 a month.

The Green Forest School District has experienced significant growth over the years. In response, we’ve had to relocate many students into outbuildings across the district—such as mobile units—that were originally intended as temporary solutions. Unfortunately, many of these structures have now been in use for over 20 years. They are deteriorating and no longer meet the safety and functional needs of our students. From a security perspective, continuing to house students in these outdated outbuildings poses serious risks. In the event of severe weather, such as tornadoes, or safety threats on campus, it is much harder to quickly alert and protect students and staff in these remote structures.

In addition, the current high school building is not ADA-compliant. For example, students in wheelchairs cannot access restrooms due to narrow stalls, nor can they easily navigate the building because of staircases in the hallways that limit movement between sections. Some bathrooms are permanently out of service due to plumbing failures that can no longer be repaired.

Green Forest has the lowest millage rate in our county and conference.

The new facility would most likely be a two-story structure built on the site currently occupied by the 1928 Red Brick Building—the original building on our campus. Unfortunately, this building has reached the end of its usable life and can no longer adequately serve the needs of our students and staff.The proposed site can offer a safer over all campus and allows for the new building to have presence along Ratzlaff Ave creating a better front door and connection to the other structures on campus. 

Design would start as soon as the millage passes and construction would start late summer of 2026.

For a property with an assessed value of $100,000, the proposed millage increase would result in an additional cost of approximately $9 per month. In fact, most homes in town would see a monthly increase of around that same amount. Keep in mind that assessed value is generally much lower than a property’s appraised or market value. For example, a home listed for sale at $320,000 may have an assessed tax value of only $175,000. Additionally, farmland is taxed at a lower rate. It’s typically the buildings or structures on the land that raise the overall tax value. In many cases, land by itself would see only a minimal increase—just a few dollars per year.

Yes, many of the portable buildings on campus have been in place for over twenty years and are increasingly becoming failing structures. My goal is to get all students out of these buildings and remove those end of life structures from campus.

High-quality schools and facilities add significant value to a community—not only by enhancing educational opportunities, but also by helping protect and increase property values. When families and educators see that a community takes pride in its schools, it makes Green Forest a more attractive place to live and work.

The reality is, we will need a new high school in the near future. Delaying the project will only increase the overall cost—especially without the $9.9 million in State support.

If the condition of the current high school continues to decline and the millage continues to fail, the State may ultimately condemn the building. In that case, the State could take control of the situation, redirecting funds from our extracurricular programs—including athletics, band, and others—to cover the cost of building a new facility. That would mean losing important programs that enrich student life and community spirit.