NEW SCHOOL BUILDING TOPS CAPE PRIORITIES

A new, modern elementary school building and expansion and updating of middle schools and other buildings were primary topics of discussion during a public meeting Saturday on the needs of Cape Girardeau Public Schools.

The meeting at Washington School generated wide-ranging suggestions. But the priority subject was plans for a new elementary school.

Saturday's meeting was the sixth of 15 meetings planned to help develop a strategic plan for the public school district.

The meeting was the first of three to discuss the physical condition of the district's school buildings. Additional educational facility sessions will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday at May Greene School and at 7 p.m. Thursday at Cape Central Junior High School.

The meetings are being conducted by the Vision Planning Committee, a group charged with collecting information from the community and school district staff about the direction the school district should take.

Suggestions and concerns voiced at the meetings are recorded and ranked by the participants. Vision 2000, a community betterment group that sponsors the meetings, will tabulate the lists.

Vision 2000 will report to the school board, which will draft a five-year strategic plan.

The priorities from all meetings will be presented to the public at a town hall meeting, at 7 p.m. on Nov. 7 at Cape Central High School.

More than 20 people attended Saturday's session and came up with 47 separate ideas. They were divided into three smaller groups, which then listed their ideas on improving school buildings.

A new elementary school was named the top priority by all three groups Saturday.

"We listed 10 topics in our group," said facilitator Charles Kupchella. "The number one item on the list was discussion of a new elementary school facility. We kept coming back to that."

One suggestion was to build a new high school, and use current Cape Central High School building for a middle or junior high school.

Terry Taylor, one of three school board members at Saturday's meeting, suggested a new elementary building on vacant school district property along North Sprigg Street.

"The new building could be used to relieve crowding conditions at Jefferson, Clippard and Alma Schrader schools," he said.

That would enable the district to keep its newer, more modern buildings -- Schrader, Clippard, Jefferson -- and vacate the older schools, such as May Greene and Washington.

Other board members at Saturday's session included Robert Fox and Harry Rediger. Also in attendance were Dr. Neyland G. Clark, superintendent of schools; Richard Bollwerk, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction; and Melvin Gately, a city councilman and member of Vision 2000.

"We need new facilities for elementary through junior high," said Bob Komorech, a participant in one of the groups.

And with a new elementary building, other schools could be improved, said Steve Trautwein, a member of another small group Saturday.

Trautwein also suggested using a building 12 months per year, either with a rotating school year, or as a site for various community events in the summer.

Sharon Sibley cited the need for new buildings.

"We're not lacking academically," she said. "But we need new schools and more space."

Jeffrey Krantz also cited the need for a new elementary school building and expansion of the junior high and the Cape Girardeau Vo-Tech school.

Kathy Swan and Cindie Jeter, facilitators for one group, said the need for a new elementary school emerged as the top priority.

Among other ideas during the hour-long session were expansion of the cafeteria, a closed campus during lunch, air conditioning, better lighting for existing facilities, and placing special education in one location.

These and other ideas will be fined tuned over the next two facility meetings.