SCHOOL BOARD EYES NEW BUILDINGS

Members of the Cape Girardeau Board of Education said Saturday, "Let's build."

School board members hope to build new facilities and also hope to build student, staff and community pride and ownership in the school system.

In addition to new facilities, the board said it wants a sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade middle school, air-conditioned facilities throughout the district, and school district boundaries that match city limits.

The school board met for its annual retreat this weekend to develop a long-range plan for the district. The three-day meeting concludes today with more specifics about educational programs, buildings and how to pay for them.

Superintendent Neyland Clark said he saw the past school year as a planning year and hopes the coming year will be one of action.

"I think it's time to do something. We're ready," he said.

Planning is the first step.

The board called for the long-range plan to reduce the number of transitions between schools for students. The outlook is for kindergarten through fifth-grade elementary schools; sixth- through eighth-grade middle school; and ninth-through 12th-grade high school.

"For four years now we have discussed the very same things," said Board President Ed Thompson. "Finally this year we have made some decisions on which way we are going. We have made up our minds on what grade configuration we want, and that's based on educational need.

"I feel like we know generally in what direction we're headed," Thompson said. "As we get more information we will be able to narrow that to a real plan."

Clark, who has experience as a middle school principal, said preadolescents from ages 10-14 are "pretty unique individuals."

The middle school, he said, addresses the needs of these students through team-teaching and flexible scheduling.

Board Vice President John Campbell asked, "Would we be looking at a middle school if we didn't have other facilities issues?" Clark responded, "If you are competitive you would."

The board also agreed that the school system needs to embark on a building program to replace aged buildings, to relieve overcrowding and to better educate children.

Board member Lyle Davis said: "We're going to build. We don't know what we're going to build yet, until we get input from the administrators and staff. Subject to professional examination by educators and architects, let's design the best square footage for the buck, using the existing facilities to the best extent possible."

Campbell said, "I think it's fairly clear we want to replace May Greene and Washington.

The board reached consensus that May Greene, Washington and L.J. Schultz schools have outlived their educational lives and should be replaced.

Clark said Saturday the district will likely employ an architectural firm soon to begin working with staff members to develop a building plan.

Any new construction would be at least three years away, Clark said. "It takes one year to plan and at least two years to build."

In order to pay for any new construction, voters would have to approve a tax increase. Board members are scheduled to discuss that possibility today.

The retreat began Friday when the board talked with chairmen of three citizens committees who studied educational programs, facilities and finance, and talked with teachers and administrators.

On Saturday afternoon, the board wrote a revision to the district's mission statement stating the school system is committed to providing an environment in which students are afforded the opportunity to reach their educational potential.

After hours of discussing citizen and staff input, strengths and weaknesses of the district and dreams for the future, Clark said: "All your programs say build. Everything you've said is build or replace."

The board discussed the possibility of constructing one or two new elementary schools, one or two middle schools, additions to Central High School and to Jefferson School, but in the end decided the decision was best left to the professional educators employed by the district.

"You tell us," Davis said. "What do you need to do the best job for our kids?"

Board member Patrick Ruopp said, "I think we should direct you to bring us a needs-based plan, as the finance committee suggested."

The board also asked for increased utilization of technology in the school district and recommendations for alternative uses for the old buildings.