The Vigo County School corporation is making its pitch for a $222 million high school.
Vigo County Schools and Gibraltar Design presented a preliminary budget to the Vigo County Oversight Board Thursday. The presentation included construction and design possibilities for a new high school east of the Wabash River.
Securing county funding for the new high school would be the first step in Vigo County schools’ consolidation plan. Kris Kingery, chief education officer at Gibraltar Design, said the project would make the community more attractive to new residents and businesses.
“High schools are the main draw,” he said.“It's the first thing that families see. It's the first thing that businesses see. And every district is trying to get their high schools to be that beacon for the community.”
North and South High Schools would consolidate and move into the new building. Their current buildings are more than 50 years old and in poor condition.
After a change in Indiana law, it’s possible the county could transfer funding to local schools. The five-member county Oversight Board will assess the Vigo County School Corporation’s plan and determine if the county could help pay for it. Its final financial report to the Vigo County Council is due April 16.
Last fall, the Vigo County School Board approved a plan “to build a high school east of the river, renovate West Vigo High School west of the river, consolidate to four middle schools and 10 elementary schools, reducing the district footprint from 23 school buildings to 16,” said Deputy Superintendent John Newport.
Newport said the new plan addresses issues in enrollment, modernization, and funding.
“It is kid-focused andlearning-environment friendly,” Newport said. “It recognizes transportation logistics within the Vigo County geography, with a river running down the middle of it and three bridges to cross.”
The school corporation wants to begin construction with its high schools.
No site for an east-side high school has been selected yet, but it’s possible preparation could begin by fall, said Jim Thompson, president of Gibraltar Design. Thompson said the design process has not started yet.
“By August of 2029, you could be opening a new school,” Thompson said. “It's about 30 months of construction timeline, so two-and-a-half years, depending on weather and other factors.”
The second phase of the plan would modernize West Vigo High School and three other schools. Vigo County School leaders believe construction for this phase should happen alongside building a new high school.
“Our bonding capacity is around $150 million,” said Donna Wilson, Vigo County Schools chief financial officer. “Those two projects, in our mind, the perfect world, both projects going on at the same time.”
Newport said Vigo County Schools’ hopes most of the work in the two phases could be done without an impact on the local tax rate. Newport said there’stoo many unanswered questions to determine if a referendum is needed.
“I can tell you it can only happenonan even year. So, if it were to happen,it'd be 2028,” Newport said.
Thompson said the county and school corporation have the option to add turf athletic fields, career centers, aquatic centers and more for an additional cost. These are not included in the current budget estimations, and Thompson said the additions would likely cost millions.
