Here is an update on the Columbus Middle School project. A phone survey was conducted by a private research firm to determine taxpayer support for the three original options. The original options were these:

• to build a new middle school north of town south of the hospital
• to renovate the new section of the current middle school and build a smaller second middle school north of town
• remodel the current structure

The key findings of the phone survey were that the community is not if favor of a middle school north of town, and they are against having two separate middle schools in two parts of town. They also indicated that if the cost of the project is within acceptable limits, they would support improving the middle school in a central location in town.

In response to the citizen survey the board is proposing three new options for the community to consider:

1. Renovate the current structure (including the 1924 section) and add classrooms on the southeast side of the building.

• This option will require an extensive investment in the old section of the building.

2. Tear down the 1924 section and add more classrooms to the southeast than in option 1.

• This option will require purchasing houses south of the middle school.
• It would also likely cause the closing of 17th Street by 23rd Avenue. This would require city approval.

3. Move the middle school to the high school building and build a new high school north of town.

• Some of the space in the current high school building could be used to meet other district needs. This could include moving district-wide services to this building or putting an alternative school in the facility.
• Uses for the vacated middle school would also be found. These could include the two mentioned in the first bullet. A community recreation center for youth, community day care facility, and an early childhood center are other possibilities.

The RVW architectural firm is drawing up schematics for these three options and determining cost estimates. The public will be updated once more detail is known. Cost information should be available in April.

A citizen group will be formed to present the options to the community in much the same way that the viaduct committee did. If you are interested in serving on this task force, please call our office at 563-7000. The school board will gladly accept as many volunteers as they can get to help all members of the community be informed on the options.

Once the community lets the board know the alternative most favorable to them, it will be brought to the community for a vote in 2009. Please go to the CPS webpage to find out more information regarding the need for improvements to the CMS facility -- http://www.columbuspublicschools.org/.

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