New high school is recommended

A new high school has been discussed over the years.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
HOWLAND -- A former school board member has renewed the idea of building a new high school.
Raymond Tisone called on the board of education Monday to rekindle the discussion of constructing a high school and reducing the number of buildings in the district from six to four.
Tisone is a member of the board's facilities and maintenance committee, one of a number of committees looking at long-term aspects of education within the district.
"It would be a big-ticket item, I know," Tisone told the board.
Tisone explained that he could visualize the concept of not only constructing a new facility, but also implementing the district's complete reorganization.
It would include, he said for example, a kindergarten through second-grade building, another to house the third through fifth grades, middle school and high school.
He noted there is "plenty of room" around the current high school to build a new facility.
"It's not going to go anywhere without a commitment from the board," Tisone asserted, noting that the community will need to continue educating children despite threats to the local economy.
Reducing the number of buildings, he asserted, will save in utility and administrative costs. He also said it would result in the loss of jobs, however.
Board members did not comment.
A new high school and separate auditorium have been discussed over the years.
Technology committee
In another committee report, board member Scott Lehman, chairman of the technology committee, said the group has reviewed the latest material involving education technology.
Because of financial restraints, Lehman explained, the committee decided to concentrate its goals on aligning technology with the curriculum and transforming libraries from being print-oriented to technology-centered.
He said the district should also seek to open technology laboratories beyond the normal school day.
In other business, the board approved a schedule of fees for next year that is about the same as this year.
The two exceptions are the driver's education fee that will increase from $200 to $250 and scientific investigations fee, from $10 to $15.
Board member Andrew Bednar announced that the school system's Destination ImagiNation team has qualified to compete in global competition May 24 at the University of Tennessee.
The six-student team qualified, Bednar explained, by competing this weekend in state competition in Fairfield.
Destination ImagiNation deals with problem solving. At the global competition, the Howland team will be competing with teams from 47 states and 14 countries.
yovich@vindy.com