$23-to $27-million “Tiger Vision” projects subject of public hearing in Red Oak
November 27th, 2014 by Ric Hanson
Patrons of the Red Oak Community School District will be able to participate in the district’s facilities planning process, during a regular meeting of the Red Oak School Board on Dec. 15th, beginning at 6-p.m. in the Red Oak Technology Center. The Daily NonPareil reports, the district’s facility planning process, known as Tiger Vision, accelerated after Red Oak Community Middle School was temporarily shut down over the Labor Day weekend. Facility recommendations were made in September, and the board has since mulled how it wants to proceed on the project that could include a $12.5-million high school addition.
The addition would make room for middle-schoolers in the current high school classrooms. Tiger Vision proposes consolidating the district into a two-building campus instead of having separate, stand-alone buildings across the city for preschool, kindergarten through grade 3, grades 4 and 5, grades 6 through 8 and grades 9 through 12. Superintendent Terry Schmidt told the paper in an email that no decision would be made concerning “Tiger Vision” until another opportunity is given for public input – questions or concerns.
If the recommendations were adopted following the public hearing next month, the Red Oak Community High School would receive an addition that would provide a modern high school space. The elementary grades would see an addition and renovation of Inman Elementary School, located only a block away from the high school, along with a new intermediate school.
Total costs for the Tiger Vision projects are between $23 million and $27 million. Schmidt has said the district believes it could use its physical plant and equipment levy and state sales tax proceeds to do the high school component without the need to issue a general obligation bond, which would require a 60 percent supermajority approval from district voters.