Board debates Pocahontas High School site plan; asks architect for gym-on-east and one-story options

Todd, a district-design presenter, reviewed a downsized site plan for the high school now configured for grades 10–12 and walked trustees through the proposed floor plan, program adjacencies and the remaining design choices: two‑story versus one‑story academic layout, required special-purpose rooms (art and instrumental), and how the business building might be repurposed. He said the plan "basically just represents about the size that we're looking at now" and noted the project still needs decisions about building height and adjacencies.

Trustees pressed on practical tradeoffs. Board members asked whether a one-story building would be cheaper (Todd replied not necessarily, citing the elevated slab and elevator cost for two stories versus a larger roof for a single story) and whether splitting an oversized art room later could yield classroom space. Drainage and traffic concerns drove much of the discussion: several trustees worried that moving the gym to the west end could worsen runoff around the sports complex, while others argued putting the gym on the east would open flat land for parking and reduce long-term site constraints. Todd said he can "make it work wherever you want" but recommended consulting the clerk and site engineer to quantify how much additional separation would be needed for safe drainage.

Trustees also weighed programmatic needs and future flexibility. The group discussed whether to preserve a separate business building or consolidate career-technical classrooms into the main building to keep students under one roof; they discussed how to design mechanical and ceiling systems so future partition walls could be added without demolishing finished spaces. Cost considerations—an approximate per-square-foot tradeoff discussed informally during the meeting—figured into the exchange, with members noting limited current revenue and the need to balance immediate needs against future add-ons.

Action and next steps: the board asked Todd to produce alternative site plans showing (1) the gym mirrored on the east side of campus and (2) a one-story academic building option, and to coordinate with Craig and facilities staff on specific spacing and drainage requirements. The board did not take a vote on the master plan at this meeting; trustees signaled a preference to see both options and follow up with more detailed cost and drainage analyses before committing to a final layout.