Superintendent, board discuss options for Wichita Southeast High School
The Wichita Public Schools Board of Education gathered its questions about the progress of the 2008 bond project, giving them to Superintendent John Allison to answer at an upcoming board meeting.
Among them, several were directed toward a future decision on a high school in southeast Wichita.
Voters approved 90 projects in the original bond proposal, but 67 were put on pause and study as state budget woes affected district operations.
Now, 15 remain on pause. The 2008 bond proposal called for improvements to Southeast High School, located at Lincoln and Edgemoor, as well as constructing a new Southeast Quadrant High School near 127th Street East and Pawnee.
Allison has said there is money to do one project or the other, but not both.
The district has about $71 million for all remaining projects. Remodeling and expansions at Southeast High - including four classrooms, a 2,000 seat gym and expanding a music suite - total $11.4 million. The Southeast Quadrant High School would cost $37.7 million.
"The simple answer to that is yes, the dollars are there for the bricks and mortar," Allison said.
The issue is operations. While the district could continue with all its projects, there is likely not funding to staff those new areas moving forward.
Southeast High School has an enrollment of 1,632. The proposed new high school would hold 800 and could be expanded to 1,200. Board Member Jeff Davis asked Allison to find out how much additional funding is needed if the new high school was to hold Southeast's current enrollment.
Board members also asked for figures on changes in busing costs, staffing and operations for a new school and potential property acquisition prices around Southeast High - a landlocked school with little room for expansion.
The district has already put $1.3 million toward improvements at Southeast High, including upgrading the auditorium.
Board President Lynn Rogers said the board has no intent to leave Southeast High vacant, if the board did choose to pursue the new high school.
Two Wichita residents voiced their opposition to building a new high school during the board meeting. Their concerns included the population density and lower income near the current high school, as well as the district's intent with the facility if it was shut down.
The school board will discuss pause and study projects further at its Committee of the Whole meeting next week.
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