School Board prepares options for public meetings

The Thayer Central School Board of Education will host two public meetings on Feb. 9 and Feb. 10. On Feb. 9, the meeting will be held at 3 p.m. The following day the meeting will take place at 7 p.m. Both will be held in the high school gymnasium.

From these meetings, the group hopes to come out with an idea of what the public thinks about three different plans meant to improve the current facilities for the entire district, said Thayer Central superintendent Drew Harris.

The first of the three plans meets the goal of moving all students to one location. It also connects the buildings with a new gymnasium set between the two buildings. This also helps create a better tornado safety area for the students and faculty. More classrooms would also be added with this plan. They would be added to the intermediate building. The plan also includes improvements to the technology building. Although not included in the current option, the plan allows for possible future renovation of the old gymnasium to an auditorium.

The second plan adds much of the same benefits, but it doesn’t  include a new gymnasium. In place of the gymnasium additional classrooms would be placed in between the intermediate and high school buildings. This plan would still allow all the students to be located on the same campus. A new metal building would be constructed east of the intermediate building. This new building would allow space for a weight lifting room. In addition to the classrooms, this option would also feature renovation of the locker rooms along with new music rooms. Bleachers may be replaced in the intermediate gymnasium if this option is chosen.

The final plan allows for improvements to current facilities with the majority of the improvements to the primary building. The changes with this plan would include five new classrooms, a multi-purpose room and renovations to the primary gymnasium. These renovations to the gymnasium would allow for a secured entrance and an area for administration. Changes to the other facilities would try to right some issues with security, locker room, flooring and other needed improvements throughout the intermediate and high school buildings.

The hope from the board is to find an option that Thayer Central patrons want to move forward with, Harris said. That is why the group hopes to get input during the meetings.

The regular school board meeting has been changed to be held on Wednesday, Feb. 12.

The board must approve an option by the end of February in order to put the bond issue on the May primary election ballot.

To see a printed version of the plans pick up a copy of the Feb. 5 issue of the Hebron Journal-Register or contact Thayer Central Community Schools.