Voters to Decide Whether to Tear Down, Replace Mascoutah High School

By Rickeena J. Richards, Belleville News-Democrat, Ill.

Jul. 29–MASCOUTAH — Voters in Mascoutah School District 19 will decide in November whether to approve a bond issue to tear down the city’s existing high school and replace it with a new campus.

“This planning is part of our continuous planning to meet the needs of the district,” Superintendent Sam McGowen said.

After getting the results of demographic, population and curriculum studies, the school board at its July 17 meeting approved the layout for the new campus with a unanimous 7-0 vote.

District officials hope a bond issue on the Nov. 4 ballot will finance the estimated $47.9 million project. McGowen said the district has requested authorization from the state to ask for up to $55 million for the bond issue, of which any money left over would go toward site work not included in the $47.9 million construction cost.

He said the board decided rebuilding on the existing property was the most cost-effective option, compared to rebuilding on new property or renovating and adding on to current building.

The new 221,000 square-foot building would house two gymnasiums, an auditorium and enough classrooms to accommodate 1,200 students — the projected enrollment by 2012. There also would be four spaces to build more classrooms in the future to include an additional 400 students. It would also include new athletic fields, weight rooms and storage and maintenance areas.

A new campus is needed due to small classrooms, inadequate physical education spaces, deteriorated heating and plumbing infrastructures, asbestos materials and a lack of handicapped access at the existing school, McGowen said.

But the superintendent also said the projected population growth from residential development in the area is the main reason why the district needs new building. The high school is nearing its capacity now with about 900 students, he said.

“(The new campus) prepares us for the next decade or two, to have a nice new facility that is capable of meeting the educational needs of the community and the changing curriculum.”

McGowen said the layout will also make for better structure among the different departments since classrooms will be grouped together by their respective subjects.

If voters approve the November bond issue, McGowen said construction would begin in May or June 2009. It is expected to take 2 to 2 1/2 years to complete.

Students would continue attending school in the existing building until the new school is ready for the 2011-12 school year.

Contact reporter Rickeena J. Richards at rrichards@bnd.com or 239-2562.

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