Teacher input part of construction planning

By By Leada Gore, Hartselle Enquirer
As Hartselle High School marks its 100-year anniversary, school officials are starting the hard process of planning for the construction of a new high school.
It's a process that requires looking into a proverbial crystal ball to predict the facility needs of a future student population.
Last week, Hartselle's City Council approved a 1-cent sales tax that, when coupled with some $22 million in interest-free federal stimulus funds, will pay for the school's construction. Now, city leaders and school board members will be meeting to discuss the school's location, with prevailing opinion being the school will be located on the interstate. The next decision will be what the high school will look like and the amenities it will include.
"We're going to talk to the teachers and see what they want in a classroom as we begin to plan for the high school," Superintendent Dr. Mike Reed said. "It will be a process to make sure we're providing what the students need."
School officials have said the new school would be built to accommodate 1,200 students with possibilities for expansion. There are currently some 920 students at HHS. Preliminary school plans call for a Community Education Center, auditorium and gymnasium, both to seat 1,200 and expanded science labs. Existing sports facilities, including the football stadium, would continue to be used.
If Hartselle follows prevailing trends, the new high school will be heavy on technology and multi-use spaces.
"We're seeing an emphasis on technology and common spaces, such as cafeterias that serve as multi-use spaces," said Perry Taylor with the State Department of Education. "Many of the new schools are incorporating lecture halls or performing arts studios."
According to the State Board of Education, there are 470 high schools in the state, with only 43 new high schools built since 1999. The median cost for construction is $150 per square foot, a cost that includes construction, equipment, furnishings, fees and site work. High schools are designed with 27-30 square feet per students for grades first through 12.
With an estimated cost of $40 million, Hartselle's school falls in line with several others in Alabama either currently under construction or recently completed.
Pleasant Grove High School, a part of the Jefferson County system, is currently under construction. Designed to house 900 students, it's estimated cost is $44.2 million. It will include 32 classrooms, three computer labs, two gymnasiums, a 650-seat auditorium and 100-seat lecture hall. It's scheduled to open in January 2010.
Also part of the Jefferson County School System, Corner High School is being built to house 990 students. It has an estimated cost of $41 million and will include two gymnasiums, a 100-seat lecture hall and chemistry, biology and computer labs.