Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
MENTONE -ÊHaving concluded the feasibility study on Tippecanoe Valley High School, Gary Turner, of R.W. Clinton & Associates Inc., presented the school board with the final report Monday.
R.W. Clinton & Associates began the study a couple months ago by looking at the enrollment projections for the school corporation. According to Turner, the corporation will have only modest growth. However, the high school and middle school are overcrowded. He said they anticipate the high school needs seven to eight new classes.
Next, he said, they looked at the needs of the school as determined by the faculty, staff and administration. A physical survey of the building was made by the engineer.
With all that information, R.W. Clinton & Associates came up with three alternative renovation and addition schematics for the high school. After the last community meeting, a fourth alternative was prepared for Monday's school board meeting. The schematics are not plans or recommendations, but a way to help the school board decide what they want to do, if they want to do anything, and how much it will cost.
In option A, the additions to the high school are to the east of the current building. The auditorium would be at the northeast corner. The administration office would be approximately doubled and next to a new media center. There would be seven new classrooms, four science labs and two prep rooms. A wrestling room and office would be on the west side of the building.
Renovations would include making the industrial shop room an agriculture and industrial shop room. The current agriculture room would become an art studio. An English room and the food labs would revert back to a clothing lab while the current media center would become a suite for special education. An area by the gym would be renovated to a concession and concession storage.
The total cost for option A would be approximately $14.9 million.
Option B would have most of the additions to the south of the high school, including a new media center, eight classrooms, four science labs, two preps and a mechanical room. The 22,000- square-foot auditorium would be at the northwest corner of the building. The wrestling room and office would be in the same location as option A.
The renovations for option B, C and D are similar to option A.
Cost for option B would total approximately $14 million.
In option C, the auditorium would be at the southwest corner of the building, connecting all the new additions. Option C would cost an estimated $14.3 million.
Option D is similar to option B. The only difference is that the additions (including the media center, classrooms and science labs), which are to the southwest corner, extend farther from the building. Option D would be the cheapest total option at a cost of approximately $13.775 million.
For all four options, there would be 19,865 square feet where no work would be done on the building. In plans B,C and D, the wellhead would have to be relocated.
Costs for all four options include a 10 percent contingency and soft costs at 30 percent. Soft costs include financing and other professional services.
Turner said the tax rate, with any of the options, would have to be raised $1 to $1.10 if the board were to go with one of the complete options.
As for relocating a part of the high school to Burket Elementary, Turner said he couldn't identify any part of the curriculum that could be severed. Also, the time and distance of transporting students from the high school to Burket would be a problem.
"If there are thoughts as to what part of the curriculum could be severed from the rest of the building, we'd be happy to form a budget (for you)," said Turner.
If the sixth grade was moved to the elementaries and ninth grade was moved to the middle school, Turner said, that would be just transferring the problems from one school to another.
"Your high school is probably the building where you should be considering your investment," he said.
Board vice president Mark Wise said the board may need to find out where TVSC curriculum is headed before they begin building. Turner agreed, saying that before the board goes any further, an education specification program needs to be completed for the high school. The program will determine where the curriculum is headed and what space is needed.
Wise also said one of the biggest drawbacks of the whole idea is the extra $1 on the tax rate. He said he doesn't believe taxpayers can sustain that.
After some further discussion, Superintendent Dr. Karen Boling told the board a study on the curriculum will be completed and presented to the board later.
Board members are Tom Weaver, Hal Hoffman, Dave O'Brien, Mark Wise and Rod Eaton.
