School board charts a new course for high school improvements

By Travis Fischer, tkfischer@charlescitypress.com

The Charles City Community School District enters 2024 with the start of a new plan to approach high school facility improvements.

During the school board’s regular meeting on Monday, Jan. 8, board members Dr. David Schrodt and Bruce Koebrick outlined discussions they’ve had with Director of Operations Jerry Mitchell about the district’s five-year plan and how to address the immediate needs of the high school in the wake of the failed bond referendum for renovations last year.

Instead of a comprehensive renovation of the building, the facilities committee is focusing on two major priorities for the high school – a new heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system and improvements to the high school kitchen.

Regarding the HVAC system, the district already has plans to install two new air handlers to the north side of the high school building this summer, with a third planned for next year.

While these relatively inexpensive additions will help maintain temperatures in the newer portion of the high school, the older parts of the building will require a new HVAC system.

Schrodt again announced his desire to have WBC Mechanical of Waterloo offer an estimate on what installing a new HVAC system in the high school would cost. From there, the board would need to determine if the project can be paid for with existing district revenue or if a new bond referendum would be needed.

“It’s not going to be $19 million,” said Schrodt.

“I don’t think any of us sitting here are against borrowing money if that’s what we need to do it,” said Koebrick.

In addition to the high school HVAC system, the facilities committee will also focus on a plan for improvements to the kitchen, though Schrodt says that they would need to look into what kind of firms would need to be contacted to get an assessment and estimate on what the school needs.

A new idea is also in the works to provide a dedicated performance space for the school’s fine arts students as the failed referendum puts construction of a new auditorium in limbo.

“Financing an auditorium is not a feasible option right now,” said Schrodt.

Instead, it was suggested that the district look at moving the performing arts back to the North Grand property. However, not at the former middle school auditorium, which is no longer a viable option for the district. Rather, Schrodt presented an idea to utilize the former swimming pool area, in part of the building the district still owns, to establish a performance space.

Retrofitting the building would create a 400-seat performance space for the district comparable to the venues the school has been utilizing these past years, like the Charles Theatre and Trinity Methodist, at a relatively inexpensive cost compared to building a new auditorium.

“It could be nice for both practices as well as performances,” said Schrodt.

In lieu of a comprehensive renovation, other facility needs such as security updates and classroom improvements would need to be addressed individually.

Board members Josh Mack and Kathryn Fox pushed back on the idea of going back to the drawing board and spending money on new assessments and estimates for the high school when that work has already been done leading up to the previous renovation proposal.

Schrodt eventually explained that his desire to obtain new assessments about the building’s needs partially stems from dissatisfaction with Estes Construction, who he felt should have prevented the previous school board from funding the construction of the new middle school building by borrowing against the district’s PPEL fund, knowing that the high school was also in need of major improvements.

Fox and Mack also raised their concerns about the message it sends to prospective parents deciding where to send their kids to school, knowing that the high school’s modernization will be limited until at least 2029 when the middle school is paid off and the district’s PPEL fund has more flexibility.

Schrodt and Koebrick responded by asserting that the district’s noticeable improvements in academic performance will be the more prominent factor in that consideration.

“It would be nice if this building was brand-spanking new, but this county can’t afford it,” said Schrodt.