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What is happening to Terre Haute Enrollments?


Guest DT

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4 hours ago, DT said:

Each school would have between 700 and 900 students, giving them the opportunity to all play in the same conference and the same class.

It would probably be for the best to keep West Vigo in their current area, and just divide up the TH North and South area three ways. Terre Haute already has three middle schools- just build 7-12 schools to serve those attendance areas. 

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9 hours ago, DanteEstonia said:

It would probably be for the best to keep West Vigo in their current area, and just divide up the TH North and South area three ways. Terre Haute already has three middle schools- just build 7-12 schools to serve those attendance areas. 

Vigo County Schools currently operate 5 middle schools.  There are 4 that serve Terre Haute - Honey Creek and Sarah Scott, which feed into THS, Otter Creek and Woodrow Wilson, which feed into THN.

The location of Wilson MS would be ideal for a 3rd high school in Terre Haute.  It would need some facility upgrades for athletics, but it makes sense to do that rather than build another high school.  Reducing the size of the 2 current high schools could enable them to become 7-12 buildings as you mentioned.  Wilson might not be able to hold grades 7-12, so Sarah Scott MS could serve as a feeder school.  The other 2 middle schools (Honey Creek and Otter Creek) could transition to serve grades K-6, and a few current elementary buildings could be closed and sold.  VCS currently operates 19 elementary schools.

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13 minutes ago, HoopsCoach said:

Vigo County Schools currently operate 5 middle schools.  There are 4 that serve Terre Haute - Honey Creek and Sarah Scott, which feed into THS, Otter Creek and Woodrow Wilson, which feed into THN.

The location of Wilson MS would be ideal for a 3rd high school in Terre Haute.  It would need some facility upgrades for athletics, but it makes sense to do that rather than build another high school.  Reducing the size of the 2 current high schools could enable them to become 7-12 buildings as you mentioned.  Wilson might not be able to hold grades 7-12, so Sarah Scott MS could serve as a feeder school.  The other 2 middle schools (Honey Creek and Otter Creek) could transition to serve grades K-6, and a few current elementary buildings could be closed and sold.  VCS currently operates 19 elementary schools.

HoopsCoach    Do love your vast knowledge of detail in many our discussions.  Thanks for your contributions.  Question.  What is the general physical condition of the THN and THS properties?  Is there concern locally that the buildings and the design may be so outdated that it may be perceived by the public as a disadvantage.  Technology is another issue,  Would it be better from an educational standpoint to demolish and rebuild THN and THS than to remodel and upgrade?  

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13 hours ago, DT said:

HoopsCoach    Do love your vast knowledge of detail in many our discussions.  Thanks for your contributions.  Question.  What is the general physical condition of the THN and THS properties?  Is there concern locally that the buildings and the design may be so outdated that it may be perceived by the public as a disadvantage.  Technology is another issue,  Would it be better from an educational standpoint to demolish and rebuild THN and THS than to remodel and upgrade?  

I haven’t worked in the district so I am not familiar with the need for upgrades at either high school campus.  Both have been operating since 1971 when consolidation occurred.  I know the two buildings share the same design and they have probably had some upgrades over the years.  Based upon the inclusion of money for upgrades and renovations in every concept that is proposed, I would say some improvements are needed.

Wilson is a beautiful building on the National Register of Historic Places.  It’s a pretty small footprint for the campus, so high school quality athletic facilities may need to be constructed at another location.  Meadows Elementary is not far away and has a very large undeveloped area on the south side of the school.  I’m not sure if VCS owns that whole property, but if they do it could be used for construction of those athletic facilities.

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2 hours ago, DanteEstonia said:

I personally would love to see Terre Haute have its own version of School Field

Hopefully, they wouldn’t place it with one end zone so close to the building next door that the officials under the crossbar on a field goal or try have to worry about taking a ricochet in the back of the head.

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2 hours ago, Bobref said:

Hopefully, they wouldn’t place it with one end zone so close to the building next door that the officials under the crossbar on a field goal or try have to worry about taking a ricochet in the back of the head.

😂

True.  True.  True.

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On 3/27/2021 at 8:34 AM, RedwoodCowTippers said:

got a idea:

Terre Haute turns into a 3 high school town

those schools join WIC

Send North and South Putnam to the WRC 🤷‍♂️

 

The drive from Putnamvilles to West Lebanons would kinda suck. I swear to God it would 

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On 3/27/2021 at 12:39 PM, DanteEstonia said:

I personally would love to see Terre Haute have its own version of School Field. 

Meh,  both North, South, and maybe this 3rd high school could play their games at ISU's Memorial Stadium.  It's nowhere near the ISU campus, being on Terre Haute's east side.  And it would be cheaper.

 

Edited by Muda69
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4 hours ago, RedwoodCowTippers said:

but it would be some good games in almost every sport. I'd drive to South Put to watch an epic clash, I'm sure other fellow West Lebnonites feel the same

What about the fire ass hot jr. high mom that has to get up at 4 in the morning? 

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  • 3 weeks later...

https://www.tribstar.com/news/local_news/school-facility-opinions-flow/article_38c798c7-e6f4-5b49-b10e-00d9811c0ca5.html

 

From the Article: 

Quote

Those attending Thursday’s community meeting related to the future of Vigo County School Corp. high schools had plenty of opinions.

About 70 people attended the hour-long session at Lost Creek Elementary, with another 50 watching live online. More views were expected after the meeting.

During a final community participation segment, ideas written on paper from small group sessions were taped to walls, and attendees could place stickers on ideas they agreed with. Among the more popular ideas:

No mega school. Do it right, not cheap. No renovation — should do a new build. School identities are important to protect. Shop classes are important/technology classes/ innovation classes/coding.

Those attending also had an opportunity to ask questions and comment.

Marquis Songer, a program chair at Ivy Tech, asked whether any thought has been given to a centralized career center. Clark Cowden asked if use of co-design — or partnerships with other entities — would reduce the property tax impact of a high school project.

After the meeting, Superintendent Rob Haworth said he was encouraged by the attendance and participation.

“This was great turnout,” he said. “This is how we’re going to get to a project if there’s going to be a project. This starts to help us build what that project will be.”

Also attending the meeting was Michele Kirby, North Vigo director of counseling.

“I’m waiting to see what the future brings,” she said. “It impacts our daily life.”

Updated facilities are important for students as they prepare for post-secondary education, Kirby said.

Ron Hinton, who attended with his wife, Shirley, said he attended because “I want to hear their options and what the issues are really and why they haven’t maintained the buildings better than they have.” He’s also concerned about the impact of projects on property taxes.

The Hintons are retired, and Shirley formerly taught high school in North Vernon.

During a presentation, Haworth presented the eight high school options. The least expensive alternative, which would be a major renovation of existing high schools, is roughly estimated to cost about $200 million, he said.

The most expensive option, which would involve four new, smaller high schools [replacing current high schools and building a new east side one], is roughly estimated at $360 million.

No specific price tags were attached to those options; officials say there are too many unknowns at this point, including whether the district will be able to use federal COVID relief funding for those facilities as well as potential future federal infrastructure funding.

Looking at costs without that federal funding, for every $100 million in project costs, that would translate to 15.4 cents per $100 assessed value on the tax rate. The monthly tax implications would be as follows: for a $97,500 home (Vigo median), it would be $3.99, while for a $200,000 home, it would be $12.52.

One factor working in the school district’s favor is that debt service for various projects will be rolling off the tax rate in upcoming years, which will assist the school district in limiting tax rate impact from high school projects.

But Haworth emphasized that the three high schools have facility needs that must be addressed; the problems include plumbing, roof leaks and heating/cooling issues. North and South will be 50 years old next year, and West Vigo opened in 1960.

A facility assessment gave West Vigo an F grade, while North and South Vigo both received a grade of D.

During a small group session, Amy Papinchock, a teacher, said she liked the idea of a career center as well as maintaining the West Vigo High School Green Dome. She also favored a separation of West Vigo middle and high schools, which currently share some facilities.

Jeff Lough, also a teacher, said it’s important to build new rather than renovate if the goal is to attract people to Vigo County. He personally likes the idea of four new, smaller high schools. As to whether the community can afford it, he said, “I think the choice is going to have to be made of how we’re going to afford it.”

Lough added, “I want the most I can get for my money, and if we choose something else [renovation], I’m not getting value for my money.”

Seven additional community meetings are planned, and the next is Tuesday at Riley Elementary. “Right now, we want to focus on what our community wants the scope and priorities of our high school project to be” as the district learns more about potential funding sources, said Bill Riley, VCSC director of communications.

Haworth noted that co-design could reduce the footprint of high schools by developing multi-use spaces: Examples include shared spaces with colleges/universities, neighborhoods or iconic buildings in the community.

 

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