Superintendent Matt Berninghaus has been talking to FEH Design, the architecture company which has presented five or six options for new construction ideas for the high school.

“I’ve asked for a couple more options from FEH,” Berninghaus said.

Berninghaus explained that perhaps if there could be a two-phase plan, they can keep the students on site while remodeling is being done.

“Phase one would fill in the courtyard with classroom space,” he explained. “Phase two would put the students in the new classroom space while remodeling the rest of the building.”

Berninghaus presented the conceptual ideas to the board, so the architect can present some real numbers to work with.

Without projections of cost, Berninghaus used some hypothetical numbers to explain the funding options.

Those options include three financing tools: SAVE is an acronym for Secure an Advanced Vision for Education; PPEL is an acronym for voter approved physical plant and equipment levy; and general obligation bond financing.

Option A incorporates a combination of SAVE and PPEL.

Option B would be General Obligation Bond Financing.

Both options require voter approval.

The funding arm is critical to determining a construction starting point, with as much as a year difference in that approach. At the earliest, something could happen in 2028.

In addition, Berninghaus suggested that the education remodel be designed separately from the activities portion of the high school.

“It’s difficult to pass general obligation bonds,” Berninghaus said, as he shared the statistics from school systems that attempted to do projects around Iowa, “and it’s getting harder.”

Berninghaus promised more information as he receives it.

“We are starting the work, but far from done,” said Dave Stoakes, board president.

Berninghaus is also considering that there could be other community options, including a potential sports park for the activities portion of the project.

It was a short meeting, with one big topic. But as new board member Kerry Jacobsen stated as she left the meeting.

“It’s exciting, and I love it.”