School board discusses high school renovation plans
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[The Harrisburg School Board met last night for their regular December meeting. The board spent a good portion of the meeting again discussing options for renovating or rebuilding the high school.
Architect Ed Kerkhover gave a presentation to the board detailing some possibilities for the high school. The first two options he presented involved a combination of renovation and new construction, while the third option was to construct an entirely new school.
Each of the options would take between five and six years to complete, and would cost between $45 and $47 million.
"We don't have $45 million," said school board President Tom DeNeal. "We're constrained by cost."
Earlier in the meeting, the board voted unanimously in favor of the one percent tax levy to be placed on the March ballot. However, even if the tax levy passes, the board will only have $15 million to $20 million renovate the high school. Kerkhover agreed to work with high school Principal Karen Crank to see if a smaller school would be sufficient, in hopes that this would bring the cost down.
The board also spent some time last night discussing a new schedule for the middle school. The board wants middle school students to spend more time on core subjects like math and science, but middle school staff members do not want to give up some of the other things they do in the current schedule, which they say are very valuable for students.
The current schedule devotes a period to something called "teaming," which helps teachers get together and discuss different issues students are having. Several middle school teachers came to the meeting to speak in favor of teaming. They also worked with middle school Principal John Crabb to come up with some alternative schedules to propose to the board.
No decisions have been made yet about the middle school schedule.
During the meeting:
-The board discussed the problem of truancy in the high school. Board member Dean West said he spoke to State's Attorney Mike Henshaw about coming to the next meeting to discuss whether parents of chronically truant students can be prosecuted.
-The board held a public hearing on the tax levy, but no members of the public showed up to voice concerns.
-The board voted unanimously in favor of a consulting contract with David Hubbard.
-The board voted unanimously in favor of hiring Kay Talley as the new district treasurer.