Table Feedback

Table Host: Mayor Traugott

Importance on working together in a productive fashion
Highlight the significance of economic development
Currently embarrassing to host sporting events
Shouldn’t build just a part and expect it to be completed in the future
Make the school as safe as you can make it…and then make it even safer
Plan for humanities and arts and recognize they are as important as science
Resources held back our talented band
Focus not only on ADA compliance but make sure it makes sense
Deal with cultural inequities
No more than two classes sharing a science lab
Lighting is fundamental
Maximize interactions with middle school students
It was reiterated that it is in everyone’s best interest to work together.
A big concern among was the embarrassment of the current high school. It’s embarrassing during sporting events when visiting teams come to the school. There is a big disparity in the well kept community of WC and the high school, and a disparity in the performance of the school and its physical environment.
Furniture flexibility.
Future proofing the high school. (Flexibility to evolve). We discussed low impact strategies we’ve used before to allow growth onto buildings (additions onto wings) and that WCHS would be designed with future growth in mind.
Full science labs vs. classrooms and access. Issue with current amount of true (full) labs.
Lighting in the current school is an issue and in the new facility would like to see a balance of daylight, open space and also better lighting in general.
Need spaces for students to socialize and be teenagers. Current school has corridors, but there aren’t any spaces for students to naturally gather before, between and after classes. We discussed the idea of school pride along with this and ways that school branding can come into play in spaces like this.
ADA concerns. The wheelchair bound student who will joining the HS next year joined our table and we talked about equity in access to spaces, and ways we consider this very early in design from drop off, travel distances, etc. I mentioned that I would like to talk about the issues he sees at the MS, even though it is an “ADA accessible” facility and ways we can make sure we make the HS better.

Table Host: City Councilperson Mike Coleman

Question regarding the capacity of elementary schools specifically Simmons and Northside
Good that the proposed land is already paid for
Need to partner with manufacturers
Could use the old high school for capstone classes or new manufacturing offerings
Has the Opportunity for endowments, partnerships and sponsorships been explored
Credit was given to Mr Hawkins for good leadership in fiscal matters
Discussion of KDE model classroom sizes vs the average current classroom at WCHS
Community member requested explicit communications
Ask teachers for more input, including retired teachers
Many concerns about phased building were voiced.
Bonding is the best budgeting tool because it isn’t subject to interpretation
Teachers and students deserve a new building
Students feel that going from the middle school to the high school is a step down in building quality
One person would prefer and auditorium to an aux gym.
It is imperative that the school be designed to allow for additions
Floating is terrible for teachers
One person had experience with floating in the 70’s and thought it was hard to do but could be overcome

Table Host: Judge Executive James Kay

Summary in progress

Table Host: Community Member Brenda Richards

Liked the idea of Flexible furnishing in the classrooms. Liked the fact that we are looking at flexibility within the High School for the future since high schools change
It was noted that Nelson Co. is doing Project Based Learning and they are using flexible furnishings.
Security was a big concern for the table. Discussed the ability to prevent intruders as well as if one does get in, how do you provide safe places within the classrooms.
It was suggested that the quality of instruction decreases when the teachers do not have their rooms for planning periods.
The question was asked about whether or not there was data that concluded that group learning helped Middle School students. It was noted by Jimmy Brehm that there is data that suggests that students retain more information when they had to explain a topic to the peers. It was also noted that the classrooms would have spaces for individual learning as well as group learning.
It was noted that it was imperative to have a gym for pep rallies and other whole student body functions.
A Theatre is needed that would seat the entire student body. It was noted that Woodford Theater currently has 192 seats and is difficult to schedule for High School events. It was suggested that a black box theater would be more flexible than a traditional sloped floor auditorium.
Phasing was seen as a negative by a couple of people at the table.
It was suggested that if the project has to be phased that the items that are currently not provided at the existing high school be built first and the second phase would be for classrooms. Items that would be included in the first phase would be the Auditorium and a CTE / ATC facility.
It was noted that the existing HS Corridors are too tight
Lafayette is older than WCHS and it still functions well.
Changing the culture is more important than test scores.
This is an agriculture county - not every kids is moving on to college. More emphasis should be placed on Career Tech Ed component.

Table Host: Community Member Rusty Thompson

Discussion of the needs of agriculture education
Discussion on phase building and concerns related to phase building.
Architect discussed the realities of phasing and all 14 at the table conceded it was not a deal breaker if the focus remained on classrooms, labs, and some other extracurriculars
The folks at this table preferred a modern building over a traditional HS,
Table was in consensus that they
Table was in consensus that they wanted less doors for safety, and all wanted to move this process along.

June 6, 2019 Table Feedback