District outlines plan to relocate New Emerson program to Nisley campus, cites aging building deficiencies
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Summary
Superintendent staff presented a plan to move New Emerson into the renovated Nisley campus because the current New Emerson building has major infrastructure failures, asbestos, and insufficient instructional and safety features; the move is informational and not a board action this evening.
District staff briefed the board that the New Emerson program will be relocated to the Nisley campus to place the program in a safer, modern instructional facility.
Clint (district facilities staff) described the existing New Emerson building as functionally obsolete and in poor condition, saying the facility’s Facility Condition Index was about 22.7 percent and that the building — originally constructed in 1949 with a last major renovation in 1970 — has failing HVAC, electrical and plumbing, asbestos, roof and drainage problems, significant ADA shortcomings, no fire sprinkler system, and cramped instructional spaces. Clint told the board replacing the current building “would cost us about $10,000,000” while renovating it to modern standards would be about $8,000,000, leaving an estimated gap in workability and economy of reuse.
Staff presented Nisley as a better long‑term option. According to staff, recent bond work raised Nisley’s condition score from roughly 67 percent to 75 percent and improved educational adequacy. The district has added security and ADA upgrades at Nisley and completed asbestos abatement; the campus includes larger, modern classrooms, a full‑size gym, outdoor learning spaces and playgrounds that staff said would better support New Emerson’s program needs.
Jen (program staff) stressed the difference between the building and the program: “we're talking about a bad building, but we have an amazing program and an amazing school,” and said the Nisley campus offers flexible classroom and collaborative spaces that better suit New Emerson’s educational model.
Staff said the move is being planned so that New Emerson can transition grade‑by‑grade, avoid undue disruption during construction at other sites, and retain program continuity. The relocation was presented as an informational update; no board action was required at this meeting.
