Conversations with the Board about Facilities

The Board of Education previously completed an exhaustive study of the District's facilities. The study provided the District with a comprehensive view of what is needed to maintain solid facilities, what is required to broaden and expand the curriculum and available programs, and what would be nice to have if adequate finances are available. The District has used this study to guide decisions and recommendations for projects that have been completed.  We now need to move to the next level of work, and that requires a lot of conversation and consensus building with stakeholders.

The Board of Education has been active in recent months discussing facility needs and what finances are available to complete priority projects.  One of the steps the Board has taken is to send representatives to tour Columbus High School, in Columbus, Nebraska and also Riverside Community School District in Oakland, Iowa. The Board will also visit a facility in Maryville, Missouri. These visits are important for us to attend as they are helping us visualize what type of space is most appropriate and necessary to expand our career technical education (CTE) and STEM programs.  It has also been good to see the different types of construction and how they fit into each campus.

Riverside's CTE Building

So what are we really talking about here?    The infrastructure of the High School has some larger needs. This is not unexpected, the building is aging, and systems eventually need to be replaced and updated. Some of these items include HVAC Systems, electrical work, replacing windows and resealing the building. The space for career technical education (CTE) and STEM programs needs to be expanded and redesigned to support agriculture, industry and manufacturing, welding, automotive technology, robotics, and science labs.  The current space at the High School is too small and limits that type of instruction that can be done.  Additionally, there has been a conversation about the need for additional gym space to support our athletic programs and also be used for team practice, community access, and tournaments. These are all important aspects of maintaining our facility, providing adequate and appropriate facilities for our students to maximize their learning and be productive in the workforce, and having strong athletic and wellness programs.

The Board is continuing to discuss which projects can best be addressed using current funds such as PPEL or SAVE, and which projects may require a bond issue to address.  As I mentioned, to move to the next level of work will require a lot of conversation, communication and consensus building with stakeholders. I am looking forward to facilitating more focus groups and community meetings as we continue to work on identifying what is best for Shenandoah CSD.