Although the decision on whether to build a second high school
is still far from being made, San Benito High School District’s
trustees are looking at the costs of that and other options for
construction updates.
HOLLISTER
Although the decision on whether to build a second high school is still far from being made, San Benito High School District’s trustees are looking at the costs of that and other options for construction updates.
“At some point we’re going to have to try to get a bond, whether or not we’re going to update the school or build a second school, because the district doesn’t have the money,” Trustee Steve DeLay said.
At Tuesday night’s board, Aedis Architecture and Planning presented the board with tentative plans – and tentative price tags – for the rebuilding of the current school as a large, centralized campus as well as more scaled-down versions. These plans came out of the facilities master planning committee.
The San Jose firm also presented the cost of building a second, separate high school.
While trustees agreed they weren’t comfortable making a decision yet about whether a second high school should be built, they said they would need to update the current campus, and soon.
To rebuild the ideal complete, centralized campus at the current location, the cost would be about $159 million, according to early estimates by Aedis.
This redeveloped design would serve around 3,300 students and would shift the main entrance of the school to Nash Road – and centralize the campus around this location.
The most scaled-down project they presented – which focused on a new stadium, a new wrestling room and new special education classes, among some other updates – would cost around $28 million.
The district has around $10 million in possible facilities funding from different sources.
“What the board said last night is even the high needs right now cost a pretty penny,” Superintendent Stan Rose said Wednesday. “And given the economy that we’re in and the economy that we’re going in, we have to be careful.”
The board requested that the committee and architecture firm speak with the school’s departments and find out which projects were most important.
Rose explained there were safety issues around most of what are considered the “urgent-need” projects. He emphasized that the electronic infrastructure, with an intercom system, was important for safety and communication. Several board members also said the new wrestling and weight room should be a priority.
The board requested to look at the plans for a fully built-out high school so if the district expands the current site instead of building a second school, the “urgent-need” projects that are built now are consistent with those plans.
While the board makes the decision on what projects are imperative to students’ safety, trustees will also begin the process of going to the community to find out whether residents would support a second high school.
A second high school would cost about $104 million, according the Aedis’ projections.
“I don’t think people realize, the school people as well as the general public, don’t realize what the costs of schools are,” DeLay said. “I think the information needs to go out to the public – a new school is $100 million, rebuilding the current school is $150 million.”
Before making any decisive moves, the board needs to get some feedback from the public, DeLay said. He said now that officials know the estimated costs of both a second school and the rebuilding of the current school, he wanted to start a communitywide discussion.
“The board is going to make the actual decision, but I’m not comfortable right now even making a recommendation,” DeLay said.
Still, DeLay said making this decision was still far down the road and right now the district needs to focus on making sure the current campus is safe for students.
“I don’t think the community right now is ready for a bond issue. Times are hard right now and you can’t get that,” he said.
Still, some community members feel the school board needs to make the decision about the second high school sooner rather than later.
Parent Ray Rodriguez addressed the board Tuesday night, requesting trustees seriously consider a second high school.
“I’ve looked and I’ve looked and I’ve looked and I’ve never seen any study that says (the school) is a healthy size for the education of my child,” said Ray Rodriguez, adding: “I’m not proposing that we let this campus fall apart, but I hope you maintain a little sense of urgency on the second campus.”
