The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
by David Grimes, Quill Correspondent
Stronghurst: Plans for school building usage to be recommended to the West Central School board Wednesday were presented in a two-hour public information meeting Sunday.
Addressing audience concerns and questions submitted on index cards, West Central Superintendent Ralph Grimm, board chairman Lonnie Brent, board building committee members Brad Arnold and Mark Torrance, and Southern school architect Bill Phillips of Canton, explained the practicality of the proposed usage plan.
Southern superintendent Tom Avery moderated.
About 200 people from the Union and Southern school districts attended the meeting to hear the group's explanation of why buildings at Stronghurst, Media and Biggsville all will be used.
The recommendation calls for the new school district's junior high students (6th grade through 8th grade) to attend classes at the current Southern elementary and high school buildings in Stronghurst
Kindergarten through fifth grade students and high school students will use Union schools.
The current Southern fifth grade and junior high building at Media will be used for special education and preschool programs.
Because of state code concerns the second floor of the Stronghurst high school building, as well as four classrooms at the west end of the elementary building, will not be used for classes.
Five first-floor classrooms in the Stronghurst building will be available for junior high classes.
Phillips has presented several building usage options to the School Board, one of which recommended closing the Media facility and closing off the second story of the Stronghurst high school.
But the current recommendation allows the new district to keep all current buildings open before reviewing the decision after the district's first year, Grimm said.
Closing either school in Stronghurst and Media could mean costly renovations would be required if the board reopened them later, something Supt. Grimm experiened in Carthage schools.
Once you close the buildings, you lose what has been grandfathered in regards to the life and safety requirements.
Phillips said he did not have figures on needed repair work in Stronghurst and Media, but that he said he believes Media would be the more costly of the two buildings.
"We feel we can make this recommendation work. There is a system to what we're trying to do here," Grimm said.
The West Central School Board will take formal action on the recommendation at its next board meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday (tonight) in the Union school library.