The newest proposed building would house Saline County High School, which has for a number of years been using retail space on Cherokee Drive across U.S. Highway 65 from the main high school campus.

When Saline County Career Center director Greg Nolting announced his retirement in the spring, the district opted to combine the administration of the career center and the alternative high school -- SCHS director Derek Lark will oversee both -- and began considering whether to relocate the program.

Superintendent Craig Noah said he and Assistant Superintendent Brandon Russell have begun looking at options and have gotten preliminary financing estimates, but they want to take time to more thoroughly research the site options available and learn more about the program so they can make decisions based on what's best for the students.

"We don't want to put something in fast and then a few years later say 'I wish we'd put it over there,'" Noah said.

He said administrators would study student needs, technology needs, transportation needs and food service needs, and all that will take time. He suggested the project might be at the bid stage by next spring sometime.

The district currently pays about $16,000 per year in rent for SCHS. He said the district's bonding company might be able to finance the project with $20,000-per-year payments.

Board President Anita Wright asked whether student input would be sought and Noah said he thought that would be a good idea.

Board member Cindy Brandt noted that she would favor bringing SCHS into the main campus so students who attend there would feel more a part of the school community.

Another building project, much further along, is one needed for a proposed glass blowing program.

Art teacher Shawn Harris was at the meeting to give the board an update on fundraising progress, to share construction estimates and to ask the board to give a clearer indication whether the program has its blessing.

Harris has been a passionate proponent of the idea since he joined the faculty and initially presented it to the board more than a year ago.

However, turnover in upper administration and financial woes have slowed progress.

Harris has forged ahead, seeking cash and in-kind donations to help cover the whole cost of the project since the district's budget doesn't have room for it now and might not in the immediate future.

The 21st Century Learning Communities grant will cover the cost of equipment, about $49,000.

Harris showed slides illustrating where he proposes putting the new building, a site north of the classroom trailer behind Marshall High School at the northwest corner of the main building.

He said many of the details -- like moving utility lines to enable the placement of the building there -- had been accounted for and would not cost the district anything.

Based on preliminary discussions with potential builders, he had estimated construction costs at between $44,000 and $66,000, but two bids received Tuesday came in higher than expected at $77,240 and $78,900.

Harris said he has raised $47,280 as of Tuesday and is actively seeking additional contributions.

If successful, MHS would be the only high school in Missouri to have its own glass blowing program, according to presentations Harris has made to the board in the past.

Board members have been cautious about the proposal, and they had more questions for Harris Tuesday night.

Brandt asked about community use of the facility. Harris said he planned to offer evening classes and although details have not been nailed down, he suggested they might be six-week classes.

Because Harris has pledged to have the facility pay its own way as much as possible, there would be a fee charged for community classes and for MHS students who take glass blowing classes, though he noted that the cost for students would probably be less than what they currently pay for photography courses.

And for students who cannot pay, Harris said "I'll find ways" to include them.

"I feel any student who wants to take an art class should be able to," he said.

The program is designed to accommodate about 32 students per year.Wright asked whether insurance costs had been accounted for, and Harris said he assumed the program would be covered under the same umbrella as other similar programs, like welding or construction. But the board asked Noah to get a more definitive answer to that question.

Jeanette Klinge asked about utility cost estimates, and Harris said the building and the furnaces would be operated at a very efficient level, with reheating equipment running only a few hours per day.

The board opted to keep the proposal on the table but did not take any action.

In addition to Brandt, Klinge and Wright, board members Mark Gooden, Kathy Green and Sherrie Stouffer were present. Board member Larry Godsey was absent because he is currently on military deployment overseas.

The next regular meeting of the Marshall Board of Education will be Aug. 26.

Contact Eric Crump at

marshalleditor@socket.net