A project update was provided to the School Board on Monday, November 18, at 6:00p.m. at Woodford County High School, with the primary purpose of reviewing the selected design option, as determined by feedback from the Leadership Committee as well as to review a preliminary exterior design concept.
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Date: November 18, 2019

Time: 6:00

Location: Woodford County High School (180 Frankfort Street, Versailles, Kentucky 40383)

​Agenda

• Public Comments
• Architect update on design process
  • Architects Kevin Locke and Brian Buckner updated the Board on the selected proposal (Option 2 "The Learning Street") per the feedback from the leadership team and from two meeting with WCHS faculty. Prior to the program summary, the goals for the project were shared again. A new high school for Woodford County should:
    • Be safe and welcoming
    • Have a strong sense of community
    • Be open, bright and inviting
    • Foster collaboration 
    • Be flexible
    • Provide differentiated learning environments 
    • Be adaptable for future changes in teaching styles
    • Allow for student gathering for informal learning
    • Be easy to navigate
  • We wanted to give you a summary of the current plans for the new high school by discussing the difference in components of the program when compares to our current high school, as well as some of the important features being planned:
    • ​​School Safety:
    • One of the most important components of the new high school is to provide a safe and secure environment for students and staff. The challenge in doing this is to also create a space that does not feel like a prison once inside. There are many ways to accomplish this starting with a secure entry vestibule, interior locking hardware, notification systems, improved sight-lines, etc. These are all components of your new school that will remain at the forefront of the design process and should ultimately result in a more secure environment than the current High School
    • ​​Accessibility:​
    • The current High School is not accessible to all students and staff. There are numerous conditions where stairs are the only method of entry into an instructional space or ramps are provided that are considered too steep to meet the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The new high school building will be built according to the ADA as well as ANSI State Standards.
    • Programs:
    • The current plan for a new high school does include all the existing programs offered at the existing school.
    • Standard Classrooms (English, Math, Languages & Social Studies):
    • There are currently 33 standard classrooms at WCHS that average right around 665 net square feet (nsf) per classroom. The current program includes 41 standard classrooms at an average of 725 nsf each in the first phase of this project. The total area currently used for standard classrooms at WCHS is 21,945 nsf. The new plan is approximately 30,000 nsf or an increase of over 40%.
    • Special Education (FMD):
    • The current Functional Mental Disability (FMD) space is located in one classroom that is a little over 1,000 nsf. We are now showing 2 FMD classrooms at 825 nsf each for a total of 1,650 nsf. A dedicated sensory room, restroom and storage space will be shared between these rooms. Additionally, two resource rooms (375 sf each) are located across the corridor and could be utilized in addition to the main FMD classrooms.
    • Art Room:
    • The current Art room and its associated storage rooms are 1,633 nsf. One storage space was a kiln room, but is not used for that purpose. The other storage room was a dark room that is not used for that purpose. If you subtract that storage area, you end up with 1,450 nsf that is serving anywhere from 20 to 27 students depending on the class. It is our belief that we can achieve the same functional requirements in 1,200 nsf per the KDE guidelines by ensuring that there is plenty of storage space available within the room. 
    • Resource Rooms:
    • Resource Rooms are typically used for programs that house 12 to 15 students. KDE guidelines for these rooms are half the size of a standard classroom or 375 nsf. Examples of how Resource Rooms are utilized include SWS (School within a school), Chromebook Assistance, AIMES and other programs. Several of the spaces utilized at the current high school are utilizing spaces that are significantly larger than the KDE guideline for Resource Rooms. We are planning on providing nine (9) Resource Rooms at 375 nsf each at the new high school.
    • Kitchen:
    • The current Kitchen area is roughly 3,220 nsf. We are planning on a full-size Kitchen of 4,700 nsf for the new facility. This is an increase of over 45%. 
    • Science:
    • The current space allocated for Science is roughly 8,600 nsf. The lab rooms are too small per KDE standards. We are showing 10,875 nsf in the new facility. This is over the KDE requirements for a 1,350-student high school. This represents over 26% increase to the spaces dedicated to Science as this is part of STEM programs that are expected to grow in importance in the future economy. 
    • Band/Orchestra/Choir:
    • Band and Orchestra currently share a room that totals just over 2,500 nsf. The Choir Room is just shy of 1,300 nsf. The current plan shows a Band / Orchestra Room of 2,600 nsf and a Choir Room of 1,200 nsf with shared storage space and practice rooms. The band/vocal music area along with the adjoining corridor and restroom are designated as the school storm shelter to meet the new code requirements.
    • Auditorium:
    • The current high school does not have an auditorium. In the new facility, a 400 seat, 7,500 nsf auditorium will be included along with a control booth, ticket booth and back of house/stage space. This space will be located directly across from the competition gym and will share the entry/commons area for pre function activities.
    • Locally Identified Program:
    • Locally Identified Program at the current high school has programs for Business, Health Sciences, Culinary, Media and Engineering. The total amount of area these programs utilize is a little over 12,650 nsf. We are planning on providing 13,000 nsf of program space for this at the new high school.
    • Career/Tech Education (CTE) Locally Identified Program:
    • CTE Locally Identified Program at the current high school has programs for Industrial Arts and Agriculture spaces. The total amount of area these programs utilize is a little over 7,440 nsf. We are planning on providing 7,900 nsf of program space for this at the new high school.
    • Media Center:
    • The current Library is roughly 5,500 nsf. The proposed Media Center is planned to be 6,000 nsf and located at the elbow of the main academic wings, providing easy access for all students. As everyone is aware, Media Centers are evolving tremendously. The media center will be located across from an open collaborative space and the Tech Ed studio, creating the potential for a strong relationship with these maker-focused spaces. The media center will include space for reading stacks, but there would also be spaces for small, medium and larger group meetings.
    • Competition Gym:
    • The current high school has over 24,700 nsf in Physical Education spaces that include a competition gymnasium, wrestling room, locker rooms, storage and office spaces. We are currently planning for 24,000 sf for Physical Education spaces including a competition gym with seating for 2,000, locker rooms, wrestling room, weight room, offices and dedicated storage spaces.
    • Guidance Suite:
    • The current Guidance Suite is located at the main entry to the high school. There are several concerns about this location with regard to student privacy and being able to enter and exit the Guidance Suite without being on display at the busiest entry / exit point in the school. This plan provides the ability for students to engage with the Counselors in the new high school in a more respectful and private manner.
    • Administration Suite:
    • The current Administration Suite has 3,887 nsf in the existing high school. We are currently planning on providing 4,000 nsf in program space for this Suite.
    • After reviewing the floor plans, a preliminary exterior concept was shown to the Board. This concept has evolved based on feedback from previous reviews of the exterior with the Leadership Committee, most notably in regard to keeping the exterior feel traditional, relatable to the context of the immediate site and feel of Woodford County, as well as a strong preference to easily identify the front entrance of the building upon approach to the school.
• Adjourn