Waynesville Schools gets a Federal Grant for the Parker Fine Arts Center

(Waynesville)–Thanks to a federal grant, the Parker Fine Arts Center on the Middle School campus will be renovated to expand access to early childhood education and to create a community multipurpose facility for presentations, meetings, and small performing arts performances, especially to benefit military-connected families in the community. The Waynesville School District, which serves nearby Fort Leonard Wood families, has received notification that the district has been awarded a Defense Communities Infrastructure Program grant in the amount of $677,238 toward the $1,354,475 project. The district has discussed potential usage of the Parker Fine Arts Center after the completion of the middle school. Parker remains in good condition with the need for upgrades and this will help expand access to critically needed early childhood learning opportunities for our students. In addition to two new early childhood classrooms, the building will house a multipurpose room that will be available for the community to use for presentations, meetings, plays, a small kitchen, and an area for Waynesville Board of Education meetings. “Members of our community often need a facility that is larger than our Lecture Hall at the Ninth Grade Center, but smaller than a gym and so when this facility is finished, our community groups and organizations will have an option to utilize an ‘in-between’ size as well as additional space for smaller meetings,” Superintendent Brian Henry said.