A preliminary draft of a master building plan for Springfield Public Schools has identified Glendale and Parkview high schools as the most in need of repair. The plan, which was presented to the Springfield Board of Education on June 23, assesses the current condition of the district’s 66 campuses and provides a vision for the future of the schools.

Building Conditions

The study found that the buildings range in age from a few months old to over 130 years old, with almost a third of them being around 70 years old. The biggest growth spurt occurred in the 1950s, with 20 buildings having been constructed during that decade. The report also found that 32% of the building systems, such as roofing, floor finishes, and lighting, were flagged as in need of repair, with 406 being critical needs.

The buildings with the most systems in need include Glendale with 62, Parkview with 61, Cherokee with 52, Pleasant View with 50, Rountree with 50, and Truman with 49. Roofs are the biggest contender for attention, with 305 of them identified as needs, followed by floor finishes with 153.

Community Involvement

The community will be asked to help design the anchor school, with a stakeholder group made up of elected officials, higher education officials, and business and civic groups, working alongside teachers, parents, and school leaders. The planners are also offering two enrollment forecasts for SPS, including a cohort-survival-based projection and a forecast of future development.

A steering committee will meet in September to guide community meetings and focus groups in October, with two more steering committee meetings in October and November to prepare the team for a December release to the board. The ultimate goal of the plan is to come up with a more immersive, student-based plan for the district’s schools.

Original reporting: Springfield Daily Citizen — read the source article.