The Houston board of education gave its okay Monday to a $3.5 million bond issue that would allow for the construction of a new building on the district’s campus. The measure, which will appear on the April ballot, requires a four-sevenths majority for passage. No tax increase in required.
The structure would be constructed at the site of the 1920s-era fine arts building, which would be destroyed to make way for a new library and media center, space for computer training, three science rooms and other classrooms. The bleachers in Hiett Gymnasium, deemed a liability because of their age and condition, also would be replaced. The project is the first of a three-phase effort that would extend over several years.
Gary Barbee of the Springfield firm of Sam Winn and Associates met with the board to update it on design work. The proposed building would match the brick exterior of the gym. If patrons approve, the project would begin this summer. The school board held a forum in October to explain the proposal, which would add about 24,000 square feet of space.
School board members say the school’s high school library is woefully inadequate to educate pupils in technology that is required to succeed in today’s workplace: Doing research on the Internet, learning skills related to technology and educating using computers. The district has been criticized in state reviews because space dedicated to the library and its resources is limited.
Phase II includes more classrooms east and west of the new building and phase III is projected to include an auditorium, cafeteria and kitchen to the north. Once completed, the
end result would be a new high school. In the interim some middle school functions also may occur in phase I. Eventually, some newly available high school space might be used for the middle school.
In other matters, members:
-Heard that rising milk prices has the district paying more for the product that it is charging. No price hike is planned in that it doesn’t want to cause a reduction in milk consumption by students.
-Learned that planning is underway for summer school. Despite a reduction in state funding, the district will continue to fund the program.
-Were recognized for their service in conjunction with School Board Recognition Week.
-Will observe the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday annually. This year it is Monday.
-Decided to accept the donation of a new scoreboard for the Houston High School baseball field upon receipt of a written commitment. The outlay is pegged at $16,069.
-Accepted the resignation of Pat Waters, secondary art teacher; and Elizabeth Heim, speech pathologist with the Exceptional Child Cooperative, at the end of the current school year.