SUSD to hold forum tonight on crowding before board meeting

The Sahuarita school board tonight will hold its second community forum on what to do about high school crowding, right before its regular meeting, at which the board may vote to start building a classroom wing near Sahuarita Park.

The forum starts at 6 p.m. and the regular board meeting at or after 6:30 p.m. at the district auditorium, 350 W. Sahuarita Road.

The main agenda items for the regular meeting will be updates on the bonds approved by voters in 2006 and 2007, followed by “a decision on a solution to the overcrowding at Sahuarita High School.”

District Superintendent Jay St. John wants to start building a 20-classroom wing next to Sahuarita Park as the first installment of an eventual complete second high school.

The state has approved, but has not funded, a $13.8 million high school, and because state funds only pay for a bare-bones building, one that does not include parking lots or athletic fields, for example, local voters were asked to approve bond money for such improvements and did so.

St. John wants to spend about $3 million to $4 million of the bond money that was approved for high school enhancements to build the classroom wing, gambling that the state will reimburse the district when state money is available, so the district can have an upgraded school.

It is not known when the state will fund new schools or if it will reimburse districts that build with local money, though the School Facilities Board recently passed a policy supporting reimbursement.

So far, middle school teachers and students have expressed a preference for building now rather than using split daily shifts to reduce the crowding at SHS. A tiny number supported year-round classes.

The board will make that decision, but has asked for input from students and teachers and is awaiting survey results from the high school.

Other agenda items include: Arizona School Board Association top 10 priorities for the 2009 Legislative Session; approval of policy advisories on bidding /purchasing procedures; gifts and donations funds usage request — OASIS training seminar and ASBA Honor Roll Award Nomination.

pfranchine@sahuaritasun.com | 547-9738