The Warren County R-III School Board last month agreed to step up the pace on plans to expand the district’s Alpha Academy alternative school. 

The district will form up an immediate study group to look at and recommend facilities options that could get the program out of its current cramped trailer space as early as next year.

Going into the Aug. 12 meeting, administrators had recommended three options for the board to consider. 

One option is to keep the current facility without changes in programming that would require more staff and additional space. Another option is to lease, purchase or build new space to accommodate additional programs, staff and students. 

A third option is to add an evening school overlay at the high school to enable alternative school students to take advantage of existing science lab and technology facilities and district staff.

Superintendent Dr. John Long told the board that he and his staff have been gathering rough costs to buy, lease or build space and funds needed for academic program enhancements.

“We know that this is a priority for the board, so we’re looking at a variety of options,” Long said. 

“For leasing, we’re hearing we should count on about $7 a square foot and our architects have told us we need to have at least about 5,000 square feet for a building, meaning that arrangement would cost between $35,000 and $50,000 a year.”

To build, Long said, the district would be looking at between $400,000 and $800,000 for construction on land already owned by the school.

Long said that in the current economic climate marked by shrinking revenues, the money carved out to enhance the Alpha Academy program will need to come from another existing budget category.

School board member Jan Sutherland said she was expecting lower costs for building based on discussion at the previous month’s board meeting. Long said that his research indicates $120 a square foot is realistic, and with bathrooms and minimal office space, space requirements would be close to 6,000 square feet.

“If we want to build something more cheaply, we need to consider that this is not what we’ve done historically,” Long said. “We typically use our buildings for 50 years.”

Assistant Superintendent Tom Jaeger jumped in to help clear up confusion between the board and administration, since Jaeger had been the administrative point person in Long’s absence at the July board meeting where broad options for expansion had been discussed.

“One path we discussed earlier was having a simple metal building constructed and then using our staff building maintenance team to construct the building interior to save on costs,” Jaeger said.

Board member Scott Costello said he would like to see general utility versus form and beauty drive the process.

“I think we have in mind a slab-and-pole-barn structure that is safe, suitable and secure,” he said, “and to move at a pace that will allow us to implement next year.”

In response, Long said, “I can probably build one for $400,000, but I’m not sure you’d want to send your child there.”

Long said that with pole barns, many builders won’t quote a price until you commit to build with them.

Board member Dale Schowe said he thinks the district should move ahead and request bids for a simple structure based on the schematics that already have been created.

“Unless we get something concrete in terms of bids, we’re going to continue spinning our wheels,” he said.

“We’ve been talking about this for two years now, and need to move forward to provide help for our students,” Sutherland added. “That’s what we’re here for — to do the best for all students.”

Costello said he didn’t want to rule out leasing space while the construction bid process takes its course. 

Schowe will lead the group consisting of Jaeger, high school administrators and John Chandler, the district’s director of maintenance, to look at facility options.