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Board explores bringing Project Plus students back on campus using portable classrooms
Summary
Administrators recommended relocating Project Plus and Sharp students from an offsite rented space at Forbes Field to portable classroom units behind the high school; discussion covered rent costs, staffing, student needs, transportation and parent input.
Shawnee Heights administrators presented options to bring Project Plus and Sharp alternative‑education programs back to district property after learning the current rented site at Forbes Field would be costly and subject to termination.
Speaker 7 said Forbes Field rent for the programs exceeded $32,000 a year and the lease could be terminated with 90 days' notice; the district examined alternatives including donated portable units from Auburn Washburn that could be moved and connected behind the high school. "Our plan was to see…if we could continue renting that space. They said, yes, not a problem. But the recent rental amount was more than we were thinking," speaker 7 said.
Administrators noted potential benefits to bringing students closer to campus, including access to nurses, counselors, SROs and food service; opponents urged caution and recommended consultation with students and families who currently attend Project Plus, noting that some students prefer off‑campus settings. Speaker 5 asked whether bringing students back might require additional support staff or security resources, and whether transportation and health services would be sufficient.
Staff said portable units could provide the separated spaces needed for Project Plus and Sharp programming and that moving students on campus would be more convenient for families and staff. The board asked administration to gather input from students and families and to return with cost estimates and timeline options.
Why this matters: Project Plus serves special‑education students with IEPs who need alternative learning environments; shifting sites affects student stability, staffing and the district budget for rent and transportation.
