By Sue Loughlin
TERRE HAUTE — A committee has begun reviewing several issues related to the future location of the Booker T. Washington High School alternative program.
At issue is whether the program remains where it is or moves to the Terre Haute South Vigo High School campus.
The program is at 1201 S. 13th St. in a building that dates back to 1914. The school serves pregnant and parenting students.
One charge of the committee is to determine the cost to bring the building into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act as well as life safety issues, said committee chairman Mel Burks.
If the program were to remain there, the School Board wants to ensure the environment is a safe one for students, he said. But first, the committee and board need to know if the required renovations are economically feasible.
“What is practical and what is safe for the individuals in the building?” Burks said.
Steve Arnold, architect with MMS, will bring some ballpark estimates to the next committee at 6 p.m. Wednesday. He serves on the committee and will provide the estimate at no charge. He toured the building Friday.
A more detailed estimate of those costs would take several weeks, Arnold said.
One major concern is the location of the nursery in the lower level of the tri-level building, which does not meet current code, Arnold said.
The nursery is below ground level, and entrances for a nursery must be at ground level. Board member Jackie Lower asked if there would be ways to create entrances for the nursery that meet current code.
A facility feasibility study states that some of the systems in the building are unsatisfactory, including heating/ventilation/cooling; lighting; and ADA. Other systems, including plumbing and electrical, received a “poor” rating.
Franklin Fennell, director of facilities management, said that if HVAC is upgraded and an elevator added, an electrical upgrade would be required. That work would be expensive.
School Board member Joe Minnis said he would like a prioritized list of what needs to be done to make the building safe for students and in compliance with required codes and regulations.
Toward the end of the meeting, Washington High School graduate Pamela Gresham became concerned the discussion focused too much on dollars and cents issues.
“I’m a little upset that money is coming before education,” said Gresham, currently a teacher at Rio Grande Elementary. “Compromising on safety issues should never even be a question.”
She’s concerned that if students stay at the current location, their ability to attend certain colleges will be compromised because they could not earn a Core 40 diploma there. Washington doesn’t offer a few of the classes required for a Core 40 diploma.
“I appreciate the board’s responsibility with money and I wholeheartedly believe you’ll do what you know to be best … but we have to understand too that there are humans involved,” Gresham said. Her comments drew applause.
The committee has about a dozen members, but another 30 people squeezed into the administration building conference room.
Gresham, who is now working on a doctorate, said, “Without Washington, I would not be where I am.”
She believes the program would be best served with its own facility on the South campus.
Burks assured her that “no one is talking about getting rid of Washington.”
After the meeting, School Board member Jackie Lower echoed those comments. The program’s future is not in question, she said. “We want it to continue.”
The School Board is trying to determine “what is best for the student body,” Lower said. The board wants to ensure that whatever decision it makes, the program’s integrity is not adversely affected.
When the committee meets Wednesday, it also will examine other options if the School Board were to relocate the program to Terre Haute South. One option proposed is a separate building to house the program.
Another possible option is to build a separate nursery/day care at the South campus and have the pregnant and parenting students attend South.
Arnold said the some of the issues that must be addressed with the current building are the Americans with Disabilities Act and life safety issues that include the fire alarm system, electrical system and appropriate entrances for the nursery.
Burks emphasized the committee’s charge is not to “undo” recommendations from Schmidt Associates or the administration.
It is to determine costs to make the current building safe and compliant with ADA; to study some other facility issues there; and also to explore options if the program goes to the South campus. The School Board has had several questions and has not been able to arrive at a decision, based on the administration’s recommendation.
If the Washington High School committee makes a recommendation, Burks said he will present that to the School Board.
Wednesday’s committee meeting will be conducted at the administration building.
Sue Loughlin can be reached at (812) 231-4235 or sue.loughlin@tribstar.com.
