Potential Site for New School
Posted on 02/22/2021
On Monday, Feb. 22, Board of Education president, Tami Pasley, announced that the Board has given approval to the administration to enter into negotiations with American Family Insurance for the purchase of its Corporate Regional Headquarters as the proposed site for a new high school. The final agreement is contingent upon the passage of the April 6 bond issue and successful contract negotiations.
The district is in the early stages of negotiations. According to the corporate office of American Family Insurance, the buildings, located at 4802 Mitchell Avenue, have been designated as a candidate for sale or lease. The current buildings on the property could be repurposed and transformed into a 21st century learning environment for students in grades 9-12. The buildings currently have state-of-the art technology, a cafeteria and more than ample parking.
Tami Pasley, SJSD Board President stated that the Board and administration will be transparent throughout the process and will keep the public informed of the outcome. “We have heard from many of our constituents that they are interested in knowing the location of a proposed new high school,” said Pasley. “While negotiations are just getting underway, we thought it was important for the public to be aware of the Board and administration’s tentative plans and keep our line of communication open with the public.”
“The search for suitable sites that would fit the educational needs for a future SJSD high school are limited in the city of St. Joseph,” said Dr. Doug Van Zyl, SJSD Superintendent.
“There are a number of moving parts that must be resolved before this becomes a reality. During the negotiations we will keep in the forefront what is in the best interest of our students and staff.”
The district has announced its plans to move toward consolidating to two high schools and reconfiguring the grade levels to reflect a K-5, 6-8 and 9-12 educational model.