Jefferson City Public Schools is considering purchasing 2.8 acres north of the high school for what could be used as an addition to the current high school.
Superintendent Larry Linthacum announced the possibility Monday after the school board discussed the opportunity in closed session. The district has a contract with the property owners - pending board approval - for $206,500, which expires Oct. 11, a day after the board's regular meeting.
On Aug. 8, the board voted to allow Linthacum to negotiate a price with the property owner. All voted in favor of the negotiation, except member Pam Murray, who voted against the measure, and Michael Couty, who abstained.
Murray said she was against the negotiations because there was no defined use for the property.
The board took it up in closed session first so public discussions didn't drive up the price of the land, Linthacum said.
He said he's aware of the controversy surrounding the district purchasing land on Missouri 179 for roughly $3 million without bringing it to the community first, and he wants to be as transparent as possible.
The land on Marshall Street is made up of one property and eight conjoining lots in a horse-shoe shape; it borders the high school on Union Street. The high school - excluding the Nichols Career Center, football stadium and the driver's education driving range - is nine acres and doesn't meet the needs of the district's high school student body.
After consulting with Architects Alliance and ACI Boland, it was recommended the district have a high school on 58 acres based on the number of students at the school, Linthacum said.
If the district did build a second high school, Linthacum said they still need additional space at the current high school, which is why they're exploring land for sale near the campus.
Based on the district's priority to focus on improving student behavior, the lot could be used as an alternative setting for students with discipline issues. It could also be used as parking, Linthacum said.
"Land conjoining the high school doesn't come open very often,"Linthacum said. "We're assessing our needs and exploring all of our facilities needs."
When ACI Boland previously assessed the high school, it gave the campus 69 points out of 100, based partially on size, accessibility, location, parking and land stability.
A meeting with the Long Range Planning Committee is scheduled for 7 p.m. Sept. 27 at the Dix Road Education Center, to discuss the land purchase, and the issue is like to be taken up at the board's October meeting.
The board was scheduled to discuss a break down of district staffing based on gender and race, but opted to table the issue until the next meeting because the interim human resources coordinator was unable to attend Monday's meeting.
A new software that allows teachers to assess their students' knowledge and track their progress throughout the year, was presented as a tool being used by the district for the first time this year.
The tool, called i-Ready, is what teachers have wanted for years, said Dawn Berhorst, director of student information, planning and assessment. Students in grades kindergarten through eight are being tested with a diagnostic test at the beginning of the year in math, algebra and English language arts.
Students will also be tested for growth throughout the year and i-Ready comes with instruction pieces for each grade and subject.
Teachers can view individual students' scores or their entire class to determine areas where students need additional help.
So far, teachers have given positive feedback about it.
"Teachers seem so excited about the product," Berhorst said. "It's not just a test, it gives them something to use. If I'm a teacher and I have five students that don't have the foundational skills, forging through the curriculum is not the most effective way to get them through the curriculum, you have to address the foundational skills."
Several board members chimed in and said they thought the program is exactly what the district needs and will be instrumental in student achievement.
Murray said it could make parent-teacher conferences more meaningful.
The board has spent $105,591 on the program, but has a budget of $150,000 to hopefully use similar tools in the high school, said Chief Financial Officers Jason Hoffman.