As discussion about building a new high school becomes routine, decision makers in the Wright City R-II School District are considering what features are most important to provide within the constraint of a $35 million budget. 

Board members heard from Bond Architects during their monthly meeting on July 15 and have also been soliciting feedback from the community. A focus group devoted to this endeavor met for the first time this week.

“We’ve started to look at some design options and determine how we could have everything we could possibly want within the restraint of phase one (budget),” said Superintendent Dr. Chris Berger. “Our next step is to consider the feedback loop from our staff and the survey that goes out to the community in the fall.”

The new high school would be built on property previously purchased by the district along Highway F south of town and funded by a no-tax increase bond issue taken to voters during the April 2022 election. In order to move high school operations in their entirety to the new building, it will likely take two phases over an eight- to 10-year period. 

“In phase one we believe it will be about $35 million just to cover the academic housing needs,” said Berger. But even within that limitation, he said the cost of the district’s ideal building layout is more than its budget. “We’re in a place where we’ll have to reduce square footage to get this back to where it falls within budget.”

Therein lies part of the challenge, as the district is in need of more classroom space to accommodate its growing enrollment. Detailed decisions determining how much is necessary for expansion but still within budget are among those currently being considered.

“That to me was one of the more impressive things about the new facility, is that the classroom sizes are going to be much bigger,” said Board President Austin Jones. “The kids will have more learning space and won’t be so cramped into them.”

A second bond issue could go to voters in 2029 or 2030 and would allow for construction of phase two projects, such as athletic facilities and additional academic housing. With the steady growth of the district, it’s anticipated more classrooms could be needed at that time.

“At some point it’s inevitable that we’ll need more academic housing,” noted Berger.

A community phone survey is planned for October, allowing residents to provide direct input and help clarify some decisions for the board. In the meantime, R-II leaders will receive revisions and updates from Bond Architects during each monthly meeting.

“Right now we’re honing in on details and beginning to tighten up ideas,” said Jones. “Later this fall we will hit the ground running. Once we go to the voters for survey feedback we will have some specificity.”