Othello School Board forms committee to study space needs
Cheryl Schweizer <Staff Writer> | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 7 years, 4 months AGO
OTHELLO — Othello School District patrons are being invited to join a committee to look at the facility needs of the district and make recommendations how to address them. District superintendent Chris Hurst said a plan to convert the district’s elementary schools to kindergarten through eighth grade will be suspended while the committee does its work. People who want to serve on the committee should contact the district office. The committee was proposed by Othello School Board member Tony Ashton a special meeting Aug. 4 to review a report on the space that would be needed for the transition and its potential cost. Hurst, speaking at Monday’s regular board meeting, said the information caused district officials to review their planning. The estimate was about $32.6 million. Not all of that was for the K-8 transition, Hurst said; it included costs for other changes district officials plan to make. But however it’s allocated, “that is a big price tag that would have to go to our community, our voters, for a potential bond in the future.” In addition, the estimate only included current students, with no provision for growth. In light of that, “we’re reflecting, we’re taking a step back - we really want to pause, just the conversation,” Hurst said. “We wholeheartedly believe in direction and the work that’s happening here,” Hurst said, with teachers and staff in support of the district’s direction. But “we realize we did have to pause. Which is an opportunity.” Hurst said it gives district officials time to talk to district patrons about the proposed changes. “How do we get others involved? How do we bring more people to the table?” The innovations won’t succeed without community support, he said. The committee will be a maximum of 25 people, including a maximum of five people with kids (or grandkids) in school and a max of five district patrons without kids in school. If more than five people apply, the committee members would be chosen by lottery. The committee will also include one teacher from each school; to be nominated by the school staff; two school board members, two high school students, a representative from the city of Othello, the superintendent, a second central office administrator chosen by its staff, and one principal or vice-principal from a school, chosen by the other administrators. The committee will be asked to determine what the district’s facility needs are, focusing on the next five years. Board member Ken Johnson said he thought district officials needed to take a longer-term look, at least 10 years out. Ashton said, and Johnson agreed, that could be the work of a second committee, after the first committee’s job is finished. The committee members will set a timetable to report to the board, and will be asked to meet twice a month until they come up with a recommendation. Board members are asking for at least two options.
ARTICLES BY CHERYL SCHWEIZER <STAFF WRITER>
Othello School Board approves property purchase
OTHELLO — The Othello School Board has approved an agreement to purchase 81.14 acres of land along 14th Street and Lee Road. The district will pay $2.4 million to the current owner, Terra Gold Farms. The draft agreement was approved during the regular board meeting Monday. The land is located at Lee Road between Seventh and 14th streets. Assistant superintendent Gina Bullis said there are no plans to build on the property now, but district officials plan to keep it as a site for any additional schools. The sale should be completed by the end of January. In other business, a discussion of a site visit to Wahitis Elementary prompted questions about traffic on 14th Street. Construction closed part of 14th Street during the spring, summer and fall, including the stretch in front of Wahitis Elementary. Prior to construction the road had a four-way stop outside Scootney Springs Elementary, but the stop signs were removed during construction and haven’t been replaced. Board member Juan Garza said he had received inquiries about the stop signs, and whether they would be reinstalled. “It sounds to me like they (the stop sign removals) are permanent, right? It’s going to stay that way.” Bullis said she had received inquiries too, and had asked city officials about them, including a question at the Othello City Council meeting earlier Monday evening. City manager Wade Faris told her, Bullis said, the city wasn’t required to reinstall them. The original purpose was to eliminate some of the congestion on 14th, Cemetery and Ash streets when kids and parents were coming and going from Scootney Springs. City officials think the extra lanes will accommodate any congestion, she said. Board member Mike Garza said the stop signs were installed as the result of a traffic study conducted by the district at the city’s request. He asked if the city had done an additional traffic study prior to removal. Bullis said city officials didn’t give a reason for the change. Mike Garza also asked if city officials planned to paint crosswalks across 14th Street at Wahitis Elementary. “I noticed there are no crosswalk designations across 14th” at the school, he said. Bullis said she would ask city officials.
Othello School District land purchase moves ahead
OTHELLO — The Othello School Board is scheduled to review a draft purchase and sale agreement for 78 acres of property along Lee Road at its Oct. 10 meeting.
Othello School Board discusses 14th Street with city officials
OTHELLO — Traffic, traffic flow and pedestrian safety, especially for elementary students, were the subjects of a lengthy discussion at the Othello School Board meeting Monday.