Washington County Schools eyes grant partnership with county commission

The Washington County Schools Board of Education is considering a partnership with the county commission to pursue state grant funding for new recreational facilities at four school sites.According to district documents, the initiative involves two separate grants: the Local Parks and Recreation Fund (LPRF) for new playgrounds at Boones Creek and Grandview elementary schools and the Project Diabetes grant for pickleball courts at Daniel Boone and David Crockett high schools. District officials said Washington County would serve as lead applicant, with the school system providing the land and maintenance.Superintendent Jerry Boyd floated the proposal during Tuesday's workshop meeting. Board members expressed interest in exploring the opportunity and potentially authorizing discussions with county leaders. Boyd explained that a previous attempt to secure the Project Diabetes grant failed because the application emphasized school use rather than community access."The main component is that the public has to have access after school hours," Boyd said, explaining the facilities would operate under a usage agreement similar to other shared recreation spaces."They don't have a parks and rec department, so they would be providing parks and rec facilities to the public but on our school property."Board members were generally supportive of the plan but raised some questions about specific locations and potential community impact. The proposal calls for two pickleball courts near the practice field's secondary entrance at Daniel Boone, while courts at David Crockett would likely be near the pavilion, according to school officials. The board discussion also touched on public access to the recreational spaces, with officials noting strong interest among the community in using the Daniel Boone track.The new playground equipment would feature rubber surfacing to improve accessibility for students with disabilities and mobility challenges, particularly at Boones Creek where several special education classrooms are located.The LPRF grant opens Dec. 5 with a January deadline for initial applications. The Project Diabetes grant is expected to open in the coming months.Both grants would require formal board approval and public meetings if applications advance. The plan remained pending as of this week.