SJSD Board of Education reviews facilities plan in work session

St. Joseph School District board members met for a work session that centered on the district's long-range plan for its school buildings. Since it was a work session rather than a standard meeting, no votes were taken.

According to Tonya Merrigan, an educational learning designer, the work focused on two areas: how well buildings serve instructional needs and the physical condition of the facilities. She described three groups taking part: an executive team of district leaders plus two board members, an educational team of teachers and staff, and a community team. Participants also looked again at the district's reorganization plan, examining current buildings and weighing next steps.

The groups worked together to set shared guiding principles meant to shape later decisions. These included putting students first, fairness for all learners, looking ahead, spending with intention and building trust. Merrigan said openness, listening and cooperation were recurring themes. Participants also talked about how to rank and distribute resources, and about options for consolidating, right-sizing or improving the usefulness of elementary, middle and high school buildings.

The district's agreement with DLR Group for the planning work totals $60,000. The article says local business donations, routed through the SJSD Foundation and Community Alliance, have paid for the project. The staff committee meets next on Tuesday, Nov. 3, from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. to discuss scenario planning, followed by a community meeting from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.