The Wright City R-II School Board is reviewing revised cost estimates for construction of a new high school and other upcoming projects.

Eric Wilson of Bond Architects presented the school board with updated estimates for both the base bids and alternates for the projects. The base bid estimates total over $43 million. The new phase one of the high school is the largest projected cost at $29 million.

The base bid also includes adding four classrooms to East Elementary School. The addition of four classrooms is projected to cost about $1.6 million. The four rooms are being added to serve as a storm shelter, Wilson said at the board meeting last month. The storm shelter rooms will have restrooms and a mechanical room.

Wilson added they are looking to design the four storm classrooms with the option to expand the area into another four classrooms that aren’t for storm events.

“We are looking at designing that so that there’s an easy way to expand it for another four classrooms that aren’t storm (rated),” Wilson said. “So if you said we need more classrooms in five years, you could build four more without making them a storm shelter. Just standard construction.”

The board will also consider multiple alternate bids. The largest projected costs for the alternates are for a performance gym and performing arts auditorium at the new high school. Cost projections for both projects are around $7.3 million. A “cafetorium” is projected at $643,150.

The school board is in the process of deciding whether to proceed with the performing arts auditorium or constructing a cafetorium and putting the performing arts auditorium into the district’s master plan for the future.

“When we went out and engaged with the community, they said you’ve got more wants than you have money,” R-II Superintendent Chris Berger said. “We’ve got some tough decisions. We’ve got $18 million at that point early on of wants and $15 million of revenue. The wants have now grown to something just less than $22 million because the cafetorium number is in there. So that number has even grown.”

The cafetorium would be outfitted with lighting, sound systems and technology for performances, Wilson said. The cafetorium would seat 500 people rather easily, with chairs for the seating and a rollaway stage, Wilson added.

Board member Heidi Halleman asked why the focus is on the performance auditorium as an alternate option. She noted the district has a practice gym they are keeping in place.

“Why are we going to prioritize one or the other,” Halleman said. “Because when I look at this presentation, I see us prioritizing the gym. And I don’t think that that decision has been remotely made yet. I just want to make sure we’re all on the same page.”

The proposal stems from rankings from a facilities committee, Berger said, advising that the board will have to make their own decision. Berger noted it is unlikely to have a $7 million performing arts auditorium at schools in the EMO conference or on the lower side of the Gateway conference.

Wilson expects the theater program to grow, citing trends in other school districts. The current proposal is for the auditorium to seat 600 people. He noted there may be benefits to waiting to construct the auditorium for a few years.

“If it’s a few years down the line, maybe they get what they want,” Wilson said. “Which is an 800-seat auditorium with bells and whistles that they really wanted to show off for a good production. There’s a lot of things that go into the auditorium.”

The board did not take action on the new cost estimates at last month’s meeting.