SCHOOL PLANNING

It has been nearly 30 years since the Cape Girardeau School District has constructed a building. The last was the vocational-technical school in 1967. Times have changed considerably in the last three decades, and the district's building needs must keep pace.

A report released last week by a facilities review committee brought no surprises: Some of the buildings are more than 80 years old and are plagued by continuous repairs and renovations. The district is also lagging behind in bringing technology to students.

The committee and school board are pushing a strategic plan that would stretch out over the next 10 to 15 years. What is on the wish list?

-- A new elementary school to replace Washington and May Greene. The school district already owns land along the Sprigg Street Extension. This property makes even more sense now that the Sprigg and Lexington street extensions will open soon.

-- New grade pairings, which are intended to better serve students and shifting enrollments more easily. The committee recommended that Grades 5 and 6 be paired, Grades 7 and 8 be linked, and Grades 9-12 should be grouped together.

-- A new high school facility is needed to meet growing technological needs. This facility could be paired with a new technical/career center.

These projects represent an expensive proposition. But small, measured steps will be essential to any building program. Jackson School District officials have been masterful in making this strategy work. The district needed a number of new buildings and additions. But the requests have been spread out over a considerable number of years, with each need clearly identified. In this way, each bond issue -- almost without fail -- has won voter approval.

Also working to the Cape Girardeau district's advantage is a change in leadership. There is a lot of confidence in the front office these days. And Superintendent Dan Tallent plans to keep the public informed of district plans every step of the way.

The district must put its defeats behind it, but it wouldn't hurt to look at these ill-fated requests. Ask people why they weren't convinced. This knowledge combined with a well-thought-out strategic plan for the next 15 years can lead to a successful building campaign.