A number of facts and key points were reviewed during the Geary USD 475 Board of Education meeting Tuesday during discussion on a possible new Junction City High School project. The Board has voted to proceed forward on the architectural planning work for the proposed project with Schaefer, Johnson, Cox and Frey…a firm the district has worked with extensively in the past.
The high school project has not been given any final approval. It is still early in the planning and discussion process. Community forums and input will be necessary.
–THE BOARD OF EDUCATION HAS VOTED TO CONTINUE USING
THEIR CURRENT ARCHITECT SCHAEFER, JOHNSON, COX AND
FREY ON A NEW HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT. ANWAR KHOURY AND BRIAN FIELD VOTED TO SEEK REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS FROM OTHER ARCHITECTS BUT THE REST OF THE BOARD STAYED WITH SCHAEFER, JOHNSON, COX AND FREY. THE TIGHT TIMELINE FOR A NEW SCHOOL WAS ALSO PRIMARY REASON.
–THE BOARD COULD VOTE AS EARLY AS JANUARY ON A BOND
RESOLUTION FOR THE PROJECT, AND IT COULD BE TAKEN TO A
PUBLIC ELECTION ( REFERENDUM ) AS EARLY AS APRIL, OR POSSIBLY A LITTLE LATER. IF THERE IS AN ELECTION THE SCHOOL DISTRICT
WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT SINCE IT WOULD BE A SPECIAL
ELECTION. IT COULD BE A MAIL BALLOT ELECTION. THE
DISTRICT WOULD STILL HAVE COSTS, BUT IT WOULD BE
LESS EXPENSIVE.
–FUTURE STEPS INCLUDE DESIGN WORK, COST ESTIMATES,
AND COMMUNITY FORUMS AND METHODS OF EDUCATING THE
COMMUNITY ABOUT THE NEED FOR THE NEW SCHOOL.
–RIGHT NOW A LOT OF MONEY IS BEING PUT IN EVERY
YEAR TO MAINTAIN THE CURRENT FACILITY…INCLUDING
APPROXIMATELY $60,000 AUTHORIZED TUESDAY FOR HVAC
REPAIR…A BOILER AND CHILLER NEED TO BE FIXED. A
QUARTER OF MILLION WAS SPENT ON ROOF REPAIRS THIS
YEAR,AND MORE COULD BE NECESSARY NEXT YEAR.
–THE DISTRICT STAFF HAS DEVELOPED A PLAN WHERE A
NEW SCHOOL COULD BE BUILT FOR APPROXIMATELY
$80-85 MILLION DOLLARS. A BOND ISSUE WOULD BE
NECESSARY BUT OFFICIALS BELIEVE THE FACILITY COULD
BE BUILT WITHOUT INCREASING THE PROPERTY TAX LEVY.
THAT PLAN WOULD NOT ALLOW THE FRESHMAN SUCCESS
ACADEMY STUDENTS TO BE MOVED INTO A NEW BUILDING.
–THE FUNDING FOR THE NEW SCHOOL WOULD INCLUDE
26-AND-A HALF MILLION IN HEAVILY IMPACTED FEDERAL
AID THAT THE DISTRICT ALREADY HAS IN THE BANK. USD 475
EXPECTS TO GET ANOTHER $12 MILLION IN THAT IMPACT
AID THIS YEAR AND EIGHT MILLION FOR EACH OF THE
NEXT FOUR YEARS. THAT MONEY COULD BE INVESTED AND
GENERATE ANOTHER FIVE MILLION IN INTEREST OVER FIVE
YEASRS. THE STATE WOULD ALSO PAY THE OTHER HALF OF
THE COST OF THE NEW SCHOOL. THE BOND ISSUE WOULD
HAVE TO BE APPROVED IN ORDER FOR THE STATE TO PROVIDE
THEIR HALF OF THE FUNDING. IF THE PLAN WORKS THE
DISTRICT PROPERTY TAX LEVY COULD BE HELD AT 43.525
MILLS. THE FEDERAL HEAVILY IMPACT AID IS NOT BEING
USED FOR OPERATIONS SO WOULD THIS TYPE OF PROJECT
SINCE IT IS ONE TIME MONEY.
–ACADEMIC REASONS FOR BUILDING A NEW SCHOOL WERE
ALSO CITED BY BETH HUDSON, ASSOCIATE SUPERINTENDENT.
THEY INCLUDE:
–JCHS IS AN ACADEMY STRUCTURED SCHOOL NOW BUT
IT WORKS BETTER IF IT IS IN AN INTENTIONAL
STRUCTURED SCHOOL FOR THAT PURPOSE. WHEN IT WAS
BUILT JCHS WAS NOT AN ACADEMY SCHOOL.
–THERE ARE 11 CAREER PATHWAYS IN THE SCHOOL
BUT THE BUILDING IS NOT SET FOR IT IN SOME AREAS
SUCH AS HEALTH SCIENCE, EARLY CHILDHOOD, ETC. LACK
OF SPACE IS A PROBLEM. THE KITCHEN DOES NOT WORK
FOR THE CULINARY ARTS PATHWAY, TECHNOLOGY LABS NEED
SPACE, AND GENERAL CLASSROOMS AND THE LIBRARY ARE
SMALL. THE LIBRARY IS OUTDATED.
–THERE IS NOT ENOUGH SPACE TO GET A FULL
ACADEMY INTO THE AUDITORIUM AT ONE TIME. AN ACADEMY
HAS 350-480 STUDENTS.
INFRASTRUCTURE PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN CITED IN SUPPORT OF
THE NEED FOR A NEW SCHOOL. THEY INCLUDE:
–FIRE ALARM PANEL CAN NO LONGER BE UPDATED BECAUSE
THAT’S BEEN DONE SO MANY TIMES. TO REPLACE IT WOULD
COST ABOUT $100,000.
–THE NEW ONE TO ONE COMPUTER INITIATIVE NEEDS
UPDATING OF WIRELESS CAPABILITY…WOULD COST MONEY.
–IT WOULD COST AN ESTIMATED ONE AND A HALF MILLION
TO REPLACE THE HVAC SYSTEM.
–THE PLUMBING IS 60 YEARS OLD, AND HAS SOME LEAKS
–THERE IS STILL SOME ASBESTOS IN THE ROOF. IN
THE PAST FOAM WAS SPRAYED SO THE ASBESTOS IS SEALED.
SOME OF THE ASBESTOS WAS REMOVED THIS PAST SUMMER.
–THE BLEACHERS IN THE GYMS ARE ANTIQUATED.
–THE CORRIDORS, STAIRWELLS ARE TOO NARROW.
–THE CAFETERIA IS TOO SMALL TO HANDLE ALL OF THE
STUDENTS.
–THE CAMERA SYSTEM IN THE SECURITY BOOTH IS NOT
ADEQUATE FOR THE BUILDING
–THE $80-85 MILLION COST COULD BE FOR A FACILITY OF
ABOUT 300,000 SQUARE FEET ON THE CURRENT SITE. OF COURSE
THE BOARD COULD OPT TO GO WITH A SCHOOL AT ANOTHER SITE.
IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE A NEW SCHOOL COULD BE BUILT AND
SOMETHING SUCH AS THE CURRENT GYMS COULD BE SAVED.
–KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND STATE BOARD OF
EDUCATION WOULD ALSO BE NECESSARY TO PROCEED WITH THE
NEW SCHOOL.
–CORBIN SAYS THE MOST ASKED QUESTION HE HAS RECEIVED
SOME COMING TO JUNCTION CITY IS “WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO
DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE HIGH SCHOOL?
–IF THE STATE PLAN IS FOLLOWED IT WOULD TAKE ALL OF
THE DISTRICT’S HEAVILY IMPACTED MILITARY AID FOR THE
PAST THREE YEARS AND THE NEXT TWO YEASRS UPCOMING.
–CORBIN NOTED PEOPLE GO TO ACTIVITIES AT THE HIGH
SCHOOL. IT IS THE DISTRICT’S FLAGSHIP. HE CITED
COMMUNITY PRIDE A NEW SCHOOL COULD GENERATE….HAS IN
OTHER COMMUNITIES.
–HE FEELS THE ACADEMY STRUCTURE AT JCHS HAS DONE
INCREDIBLE THINGS DESPITE THE CONFIGURATION OF THE
SCHOOL.
–A LOT OF TIME NEEDS TO BE SPENT TALKING TO THE
COMMUNITY ON THIS PROJECT.
–BOARD MEMBER CAROLYN GASTON INDICATED SHE IS OPPOSED TO BUILDING A FACILITY AND THEN DOING ADDENDUM LATER, SUCH AS ADDING ON SPACE FOR THE FRESHMAN SUCCESS ACADEMY STUDENTS. SHE FEELS IF IT IS DONE, DO IT RIGHT.
