OPP, Ala. (WDHN) — One school district in the western Wiregrass is using its federal COVID dollars to do long-anticipated building improvements.

Without the federal dollars, Opp City School’s Superintendent says they would have a difficult time doing these upgrades.

Opp City School’s Superintendent Michael Smithart says the heating and AC central systems are more than 30 years old in the district’s middle school.

They have outlived their shelf life and they are now being replaced with modern more energy-efficient systems. The work would not have been possible without federal COVID dollars.

Besides improving airflow and making it easier to heat or cool rooms, it also helps with the overall learning environment making it more comfortable for the students and teachers.

“We put new units in each classroom, each classroom has an individual unit. With dehumidifiers and those types of things. Put in led lighting. Replace the ceilings and the floors. Everything to improve air quality,” Smithart says.

In addition to the middle school, building improvements are also taking place at the high school.

“Every little aspect from the HVAC, from the lighting, from the instruction, from the students knowing their data, culture of the school those things play in the culture of having success.”
It’s hoped the entire project can be completed this spring or summer,” Assistant Middle School Principal Alicia Kroher says.

The entire project is hoped to be completed this spring or early summer.