SCHOOL MASTER PLAN, ARCHITECT APPROVED

A master plan for the Cape Girardeau School District, more than a year in the making, was approved Monday by the Board of Education.

"It's been a long time coming," board member Terry Taylor said as the motion was approved.

The plan had been unveiled officially at the October board meeting. It outlines a 10-year plan for new buildings and program changes in the school district.

Voters will be asked this spring to approve a 69-cent property tax increase to fund the plan.

Construction projects are divided into two phases. During the first phase, a new vocational school and elementary school would be built. An addition to Jefferson and renovations to the district's other schools also would be undertaken. May Greene and Washington elementary schools would be closed.

The second phase calls for construction of a new high school for grades 9 to 12. It also would change the junior high to a fifth- and sixth-grade center and the current high school to a seventh- and eight-grade center.

The plan also calls for a number of program changes to take place, including an emphasis on technology.

When the plan was first introduced in October, board members asked people to take a look and make suggestions. Only a handful of recommendations were made.

"There were no substantial recommendations," explained Superintendent Dan Tallent. "No groups of people came forward to express concerns. I hope that's because they've reviewed it and because we're addressing the issues."

With the exception of one call, board President Bob Fox said, "Everything that I've heard in the barber shop and wherever has been lots of positive comments. People say it's about time we embark on something to benefit the kids."

The one caller wanted the L.J. Schultz building closed earlier in the process due to safety concerns, Fox said.

At the meeting, the board also selected two groups of local architects to provide plans for construction work in the first phase.

Architects Tom Holshouser and Charles Herbst will work on plans for the new elementary school, and the addition to Jefferson and renovations at Franklin, Alma Schrader and Clippard.

A group of four architects, the Regional Architects Coalition, will work on plans for the new vocational school and renovations to the junior high and high school.

Members of the Regional Architects Coalition are architects Tony Sebeck, David Alberson, John Dudley and Bob Stearnes.

In both cases, local architects joined together to provide competitive bids, explained Steve DelVecchio, business manager for the school district.

The St. Louis law firm of Peper Martin was selected as bond counsel with a low bid of $7,000.