Hilldale Public School officials are planning a $15 million bond issue to build a new high school and renovate other schools.

No date was set for any election. The Hilldale Board of Education discussed the building proposals at its regular meeting Thursday night. Board members accepted proposals presented by a building committee.

Architect Mike Martin presented artist renderings and possible plans for the high school, which could be built north of the current high school football stadium and east of Cherokee Street. He also discussed plans to renovate the Upper and Lower elementary schools, which share a campus, into one school for lower elementary students. Fourth- and fifth-graders would move into the current middle school and middle schoolers would move to the current high school.

Martin’s high school plans include several classroom “pods” extending from a central hall. Each pod would focus on a different subject area: Math, language arts/social studies, English, special education and two for science. The plan also included a cafeteria, band room, choir room, offices and classrooms for home economics, business and computers. Two classrooms with no windows and special doors could be used as safe rooms during storms, Martin said.

“The benefit of a new high school campus is that it would have highly-efficient insulated glass,” Martin said. “You also are looking at locations for a future fine arts auditorium, even a new basketball arena. If the school grows to that need, we would plan utilities where that is possible.”

Martin also showed plans for potential elementary school renovations, including a new gym and relocated cafeteria.

Martin said the high school could cost $10.5 million with the other renovations costing $2.5 million. Remaining bond money would go for interest and other costs, he said.

Hilldale Superintendent D.B. Merrill said a new high school would open more space at the elementary schools.

“We cannot now offer an all-day preschool,” he said. “This would give us that opportunity.”

Merrill said a bond issue would raise taxes by 30 mills, or $39 for every $100 paid in ad valorem taxes.

Martin said the bonds would be sold in several series. He said the district has a bonding capacity of $3.7 million to $3.9 million.

“As one set of $3.9 million of bonds gets paid off, we would continue to the next series of $3.9 million,” he said.

He said August would be the earliest time to call a bond election. The board would have until June 24 to call an August election.

Martin and Merrill said a slow economy could be a good time to start a building project. Martin said bids for one school project he’s working on came in 20 percent under budget.



Board remembers Hendrix, Ashwood

Thursday’s Hilldale Board of Education meeting began with a remembrance of High School football coach and math teacher Don Hendrix and Bettye Ashwood, who both died Tuesday. Ashwood was the mother of Elementary Librarian Jane Riddle. School has been dismissed today so people may attend the funerals.

“It is with heavy hearts we remember Don Hendrix and Bettye Ashwood,” board member Jeff Sanders said during the meeting’s invocation. “We heard Don’s first love was coaching, but we know his first love was Christ. May we find comfort in knowing you made a mark on his life.”

A page on the social networking site Facebook has been set up to drum up support of naming the football stadium after Hendrix.

The board made May 7 into a staff development day and May 14 into a regular school day to make up for classes dismissed today.



In other business, the Hilldale Board of Education:

• Swore in board member Terri Breedlove.

• Reorganized the board for 2010 school year, with Rick Carbone as president, Jeff Sanders as vice president and Shawn Kuykendall, clerk.

• Agreed to enter into a contract with Architect Mike Martin for architectural services contingent on passage of a school bond issue.

• Agreed to employ Sanders, Bledsoe and Hewett to perform the district 2010 audit.

• Agreed to offer drivers’ education during summer of 2010 at a cost of $175 per student.