Board committee discusses new gym at Jefferson
Roger McKinney @rmckinney9
A gymnasium addition at Jefferson Middle School and a classroom addition at Rock Bridge Elementary School were topics discussed Monday by the Columbia Board of Education Long Range Facilities Planning Committee.
The committee also discussed what to do in 10 years, when all three traditional high schools are projected to exceed their building capacity.
"Part of the bond money has been designated for upgrades and to a Jefferson Middle School gym addition," said Randy Gooch, Columbia Public Schools chief operating officer.
He said the Columbia City Council on Monday was replatting the property to create a single lot where there are now 13.
"Now we can kind of put some footprints down," Gooch said.
Of $30 million approved in an April bond issue, $6 million is set aside for Jefferson Middle School, Heather McArthur, CPS chief financial officer, said.
With locker rooms and bleachers, architect Chris Davis said, the new building could be 15,000 square feet.
There is no construction schedule for the project, Gooch said.
The middle school also needs $2 million for maintenance projects, said Charles Oestreich, district facilities and construction services director.
The district is beginning to plan a $6.5 million addition to Rock Bridge Elementary School, Gooch said. The addition would eliminate the six classroom trailers at the school and is expected to open in August 2021.
In a discussion on projected growth of the school district, school board member Jonathan Sessions said by 2028-29, the three traditional high schools will be over capacity.
Superintendent Peter Stiepleman said the projections didn't include some "release valves" like the Columbia Area Career Center which holds many Rock Bridge High School students each school day.
A new high school costs $100 million or more, which Stiepleman said would be a hard sell to voters.
"It's really incumbent upon us to think about how we do high school," Stiepleman said.
A plan mentioned by committee members was called "High School 2.0." McArthur said it's an idea the district is working on in conjunction with Moberly Area Community College in which students would receive an associate degree at the same time they receive their high school diploma while attending the community college
More high school students may do course work online in the future, Gooch said.
"Brick and mortar may not be our go-to," Gooch said. "I think there are innovative things we can do."
Other ideas put forward by the committee included having high school students and faculty members at school on different schedules.
rmckinney@columbiatribune.com