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NORTH MANCHESTER - Manchester High School gymnasium will be renovated, according to the Manchester school board.
After entertaining the idea for eight years, the board voted unanimously for the renovation.
Randy Self, Manchester High School assistant principal, said the gymnasium is "to the point that it needs some help." The gym was built for 1960's needs, there are new needs today and even different needs tomorrow, said Self.
Yearly, 350 students use the gym as a classroom for physical education and city sports organizations use the gym "in one way or another," said Nancy Alspaugh, Manchester High School principal.
"Physical education and the athletic department are going to gain ground. This renovation is going to make it second to none. I am extremely excited," said Gary Goshert, high school boys basketball coach and athletic department chair.
Danna Wannemacher, of Barton Coe Vilamaa architects, reviewed plans for removing all bleachers. Self mentioned problems with folding the bleachers and Elden Stoops, a high school student's parent and an attorney, agreed. "Its not safe," he said.
"As an attorney, I have sued school corporations and won money. If we ever get sued, we will waste more money than we will spend," said Stoops, who considers the renovation a necessity.
Brad Perrott, board member, said the cost is going up each year.
"If we wait the cost will go from $1.6 million to $1.8 million to $2.2 million in the future," he said.
Opal Patterson, a taxpayer, shared her reservations about the multi-million dollar project. She said the economy is declining and America is at war. Those factors would force a shortage of materials, and increase prices, she said.
"They can't give you the materials at the prices now offered," said Patterson.
Charles Signs warned the board to "not get involved until the tax rate is given."
According to Wannemacher, renovation should begin after basketball season in mid-to-late March 2002.
The school board's next meeting is Nov. 5.
In other business, the board:
• Heard the textbook review committee's recommendation to eliminate to a sixth-grade mythology book.
At the Sept. 18 school board meeting, parents, led by Vicky O'Brien, a parent, shared concerns about the book's graphic scenes, which depict rape and suicide.
"We don't have to teach 10- and 11-year-olds this," said O'Brien.
"Folklore, Heroes, Legends, Mythology" replaced the disputed book.
Parents, who raised concerns, were notified of the change. No complaints have been received yet, according to Kim Thurston, superintendent.
The textbook committee members were: Bonnie Ingram, Manchester Elementary School principal; Denny Craft, Laketon Elementary School principal; Tom Brown, Manchester Elementary School teacher; Jennifer Rice, Laketon Elementary School teacher; Matt Seifert, Manchester Elementary School parent; Brice Bedky, Laketon Elementary School parent; Virginia Gunter, school board member; and Kim Thurston.
The school board members are president Sally Krouse, vice president Virginia Gunter, secretary Brad Perrott, Thom Frantz, Larry Miller, Todd Speicher, assistant superintendent and acting superintendent Kim Thurston and School corporation attorney Al Schlitt.
