Board reviews Mark Hook classroom and board‑office renovation plans; page‑turn and bidding next
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Summary
Goshen Local Schools presented floor plans to convert the Mark Hook site and the board office into classrooms, flexible learning space and a community room. Staff said the design phase is nearly complete and the project will move to cost estimation and the bid process.
Goshen Local Schools staff showed board members floor plans on Oct. 13 for converting the Mark Hook site and the district’s board office into additional classrooms, flexible learning spaces and a community meeting room.
Superintendent Bill Bailey told the board the district purchased property on Route 28 to allow the present board office to be renovated and to recover five to six classrooms in the district’s inventory. "The whole reason that we purchased the property up on '28 was to renovate the current board office to get 5 to 6 classrooms back," Bailey said.
Rendering slides presented to the board show flexible classroom layouts, movable furniture, a large community/board room with sliding storage for tables and chairs, a secured double‑entry reception for the board office (visitors would be buzzed in), and restrooms and storage planned inside the footprint. Staff said two restrooms currently inside the board office footprint will be repositioned in the renovation plan to free instructional space.
Bailey said interior finishes and color schemes are nearly set and that the team is moving toward final estimation and bidding. Staff used the term "page turn" to describe the next milestone — completion of finishes and furniture choices followed by a contractor estimate and competitive bids. The presentation shows the project will remain flexible and primarily repurpose existing walls and ceilings rather than expand the building envelope.
Board members asked about community use and safety. Staff said the new community room will have a separate exterior entrance and an adjacent restroom so outside groups can use the space without accessing the secured administrative areas. There will also be a secure, buzzed reception area for administrative offices.
No dollar total was presented at the Oct. 13 meeting; staff said the district is in the design/finish selection phase and will move to estimating and bidding to confirm costs. Bailey said the district feels “on budget right now” with the design choices but that final costs will be known after bids are solicited.
Board members also discussed timing: staff said they are a few weeks from the next design milestone and expect to go to bid once finishes and furniture layouts are finalized. Bailey said the district will not move students or reconfigure grade levels for next fall unless enrollment or other operational demands force a change; the newly recovered classrooms provide flexibility for future needs.
The board did not take any formal action on Oct. 13; staff requested direction only and will return with bid results and schedule updates as the project proceeds.