Stillwater board approves demolition recommendation for existing high school; committee to plan ninth-grade integration

The Stillwater Public Schools Board of Education voted unanimously to accept the Long Range Facility Planning Executive Committee's recommendation to demolish the existing academic portion of Stillwater High School and to reconvene the committee to develop a plan for integrating ninth-grade students onto the new high school campus after it opens.

The recommendation was presented by facilities staff and reviewed by the committee, which analyzed four scenarios: mothballing the building, razing it, limited deferred maintenance, and full renovation. After reviewing cost estimates and practicality, the executive committee recommended demolition of the instructional building while retaining the field house and the performing arts center (PAC). The board approved the recommendation in a roll-call vote; Douglas, Dylan, Riley, Washington and Baker voted yes.

Why it matters: committee members and district leaders said demolition is the most fiscally responsible option based on current estimates and the district's bond funding. The board directed the Long Range Facility Planning Committee to return with a specific plan for integrating ninth-grade students into the high school campus and to address programming, staffing and scheduling impacts.

Details and discussion: committee members reviewed the feasibility study prepared by 5 0 5 Architects and others. The study priced several options: basic deferred maintenance (primarily roof and mechanical replacement) at roughly $8.5 million; a full renovation at about $33 million; and new standalone construction at roughly $53.5 million. The committee noted the 1960/1963 sections of the building and a history of renovations in the 1990s. The committee and district staff concluded that deferred maintenance or renovation would not be the best use of limited capital relative to the cost of new construction and the configuration planned in the 2023 bond projects.

District instructional leaders said bringing ninth graders onto the high school campus is an established board goal dating back to 2014 and reaffirmed in 2021. Principal Howe said the move would reduce daily student shuttling and better align course offerings and extracurricular activities, adding, “I think it's very important for the freshmen to be on our campus.” District staff warned the integration will require careful programming of rooms and teacher assignments; the new building's capacity estimates assume classrooms are used across the school day and will require some shared-space strategies.

What the board approved: the motion accepted the executive committee's recommendation to demolish the existing academic building (not including the field house or PAC) and directed the committee to develop and present a plan for ninth-grade integration following the opening of the new high school. The agenda language and subsequent board action also scheduled a reconvened executive committee meeting to produce the integration plan.

Next steps: district staff said the executive committee will meet to draft a detailed integration plan that includes capacity calculations, staffing implications, scheduling models and athletics/activities impacts. The committee has a scheduled meeting on May 29 to continue planning and to receive related athletics recommendations.

Context: District leaders and several board members framed the decision around safety, accessibility and long-term maintenance costs, noting the older building has multiple access points and areas that do not meet current codes. The decision does not itself fund demolition work; it directs further planning and oversight that will guide any future construction or demolition contracts and budgeting decisions.