While it may seem commonplace for a school board, its architect and the city it will be building a new school in to meet prior to any key decisions being finalized on that facility, officials with McKinkley & Associates said what took place wasn’t the norm. In fact, the president of the company said it was an anomaly.

 

“This is the first time in my 15 years (with McKinley) that we’ve had a kickoff meeting like this to get input very early in the process,” said Ernest “Ernie” Dellatorre, the president of McKinley & Associates. “This is certainly a good thing.”

 

For those that haven’t figured it out, Dellatorre was talking about this afternoon’s meeting with his group, the Harrison County Board of Education officials and school employees in front of the Bridgeport City Council. The purpose was to talk about the early phases of the new, near $17 million Johnson Elementary School that will be built somewhere on the existing campus and property on or near the school that is owned by the BOE.

 

The step was one of many of the early steps that have taken place as Harrison County Schools Superintendent Dr. Mark Manchin is making good on an early promise to involve all the stakeholders that want to be involved in the planning process for the school. And the next step is next week.

 

On Feb. 17, at 6 p.m. at Bridgeport High School, parents and students from JES or anyone from the community is invited to a meeting at the school. Johnson Principal Vicki Huffman said she hopes for a good turnout so that questions that can be answered will be answered and information that could be helpful in the planning process can be gathered.

 

“Community input is what we want,” said Huffman. “Anyone can come. We’d be happy to see entire families to come out and meet the architect for this project and everyone involved.”

 

The meeting today and the one next week are among many of the initial steps that are being done as groundwork is starting to be laid out. Recently, teachers at Johnson Elementary were given a tour of another new elementary school.

 

“We were able to take our staff on a tour of a recently built elementary school (Lumberport) and that proved very helpful,” said JES Assistant Principal Heather Holbert.

 

From that tour and from a subsequent meeting with school board officials and the architect, teachers were given a packet to review on things that they can review regarding options for the new school – including things that are required by the School Building Authority, which is funding a substantial portion of the project.

 

While the early stages of information gathering, meetings and lines of communication are taking place, the actual location of the new school on the current site has not yet to be determined. Officials said that geothermal work and surveying need to be completed first and then a site will be chosen. From there, other particulars will develop.

 

“Everything depends on where the building sits,” said Anthony Fratto, the Assistant Superintendent of Harrison County Schools.

 

According to Architect Thomas R. Worlledge, AIA, the survey work for the new building isn’t just being done on the property Johnson sits on. Rather, the entire campus – Johnson, BHS and Bridgeport Middle School – is being surveyed.

 

“What we do (with Johnson) will impact everything,” said Worlledge. “We’re also going to be looking at utilities, storm water and sanitary issues and everything of that nature. We want to solve those issues up front.”

 

There is a possibility a new Johnson Elementary will need to an entirely new way that buses will be utilized for the entire educational complex on Johnson Avenue. Manchin, however, cautioned everyone that everything is tentative right now as far as changes, location and what will transpire – including how the existing Johnson Elementary will be utilized during construction of the new school.

 

“Our intent is to use the building during construction, but we could have a phased demolition. One thing we know for sure is that the cafeteria has to be there and that will be there even if we do a phased demolition,” said Manchin. “We just have to remember that everything is speculation at this point.”

 

Several members of Council said that they would like to see the architect looking into the possibility that some parts of the existing Johnson Elementary School complex that may be in good shape or salvageable, that could be utilized for other purposes – such as athletic equipment storage or anything else of that nature – be considered. Council members were assured that the scenario is included in part of the planning process if it’s feasible.

 

There was also assurances from both sides that information involving impacts on the community would be shared with the city to be able to be able to be communicated with the community through the media and their own sources such as Nixle. BOE officials, as well as the architect, said that unfortunately there will be some inconveniences as the project moves forward. They also said everyone will do the best to mitigate those inconveniences.

 

The 65,000 square foot building, once completed, will cover two stories. Manchin is hopeful to have it open to students in September of 2018.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo, shows the group discussion at today's City Council meeting. Second and third photos show Principal Vicki Huffman and Assistant Principal Heather Holbert, respectively, during the session.