Voters will be asked to fix high school first

If the School Board gets its money for the High School changes, how would it work? What is the time line and how do they conduct classes while under construction? Can all that is planned be done in one summer break?

I hope someone in authority responds, but I watched the board meeting on TV and they took quite a few minutes to say the High School is so expensive to run ( heat /electricity?) it HAS to be fixed. If they can only get some of the money they want they will spend it on the High School fix up. They will not deal with the elementary until after the High School is done, if they cannot do it all. Period, their decision, not open for discussion. I also wondered why it was decided to split the elementary again, and why over to West? No explanation was given. I assumed it was because it is still the board's vision to have ALL grades over in one corner of the city. This is a first step. Keeping Park has never been on their list of things they want to do. Didn't they discover that some of the newer additions to Park are technically illegal use of park property?

More Questions:
How is tearing down all existing classrooms and building all new "re-using what we have"? I think we meant re-do, re-use, re-cycle... think re-decorate not tear down!

Why don't they sell the now un-needed land they own to help finance the needed projects? (gosh, do you think they have not given up on one day building a new HS on that site?)

Lets look at this the way most people buy a house. Lets start with the money we can afford FIRST then chose what we can buy with it. Lets agree we will give the School Board 20 million. PERIOD, for fixing the High School. I bet the list of "necessary" cuts dramatically. I bet the plan is put in line with how much of the populas of Hutchinson lives, modestly, making do with what they have...

With the plan as it is when the HS is complete the existing bond for operating costs will be done. The school board will ask for MORE money. It may well be denied due to people being taxed out. What then? New building, but we cannot afford to heat it so we let our kids sit in classrooms with coats on, we cut the teaching staff, we cut programs but look we have a nice new shiny building. Someone call Mr. Douglas and ask him how that is working for him?

READ the paper SC. All was answered in an editorial that was not referenced or posted on this site, anywhere (curiously). Our schools are not "secure" because we have an open door, open campus policy. There are students coming and going all day long for pop buying trips to SA (no pop sold on campus);PSEO at Ridgewater,residential construction class ,phy ed. classes, landscaping classes. A new building would not change that. We could retro fit each door with security monitors like they have done in countless schools and court houses all over the country, there's an idea. Yes, the temperature in classrooms is not consistent. I think we all agree we need new mechanicals. They too can be updated, improved and placed on the miles of flat roof we have. Because of the big flat roof there are options!! With a new mind set and some creativity we could have all our needs and wants met with out taking on the horrendous tax burden of a new building. We could have done it five years ago if the proposal hadn't been so outlandish. The question is how long will it take for the powers that be to hear we don't want new. FIX what we have so we can move forward. I agree sooner would be better than later.

So you think the security issue is because PE classes go outside? That's nuts. The real problem is the number of doors in the building. It is impossible to secure that many doors. There comes a time when the fixing just doesn't make sence anymore. We are about there with the buildings. Just think about where technology has gone in the last 10-20 years. The designers could never have seen that coming.
We can just say well it's good enough. Let's keep our kids behind.

I think arcy needs to get up-to-speed regarding the school system in Hutchinson. If the Mr. Douglas you are referring to is Scott Douglas, the former High School Principal, I think you should know that he is no longer here. He left Hutchinson several years ago and I believe he is presently employed by the Lakeville School District as a principal at one of the high schools there. Sounds like you need to get better informed regarding the school district before you cast your vote, either Yes or No, this fall.

I have not heard about the problems that the Lakeville School District has been experiencing with their new school and the lack of funding to heat it. I try to keep informed regarding the educational systems around Minnesota but because so many are experiencing problems, it is difficult if not impossible to keep up-to-date. In any event, I have to agree that the local school district needs to be very careful with their funding or else the same situation could happen here!! There could be a brand new school building with all of the latest technology only to find out there is not enough $$ to furnish it nor heat it!!! May be the local school district needs to start reducing their budget by eliminating their athletic budget completely, and then have the local sports associations pony up the funds. This would take off a lot of pressure from the school district, and there would still be the athletic opportunities for those wishing to participate. Personally, I would rather see the schools "educate" the kids rather than have them running all over the countryside playing opposing teams in the different sports. Maybe the test scores would go up because the kids would have to do their homework, and learn something positive rather than riding a bus home from a sports event until the late evening hours, and then be too tired to stay awake during class the next morning. I think we all need to re-evaluate our priorities and put them in perspective.