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The sales tax monies would provide students a state-of-the art, modern school, without the current safety issues when students cross Park Lane for classes, and would maintain the historical character of the building front. School Superintendent Bob Drury anticipated taking three years to finish the high school renovation and construction.
With the passage of the proposal, the sales tax collected in Altus would increase from 8 percent to 8.75 percent—4.5 cents for the state, 0.5 cent for Jackson County and 3.75 cents for the city. The new and extended sales tax funds would be split 50/50 between the city and the school district for the proposed school improvements, new city and public safety facilities, job creation and economic development and a modern senior citizens center. City Administrator Mike Nettles estimated the total cost of the proposed capital improvement projects that will “Make Altus Progressive” at $34 million and projected sales tax revenues of $40 million during the 12 years.
The district has an annual income of $380,000 through its Building Fund for the upkeep of buildings and grounds. The district currently has approximately 675,000 square feet of floor space to be maintained by that $380,000. This is the equivalent of 56-cents per square foot.
“When you have 56-cents per square foot to fix any water leak, any sewer problems, any heating and air conditioning, any roof leaks, anything that goes wrong with the buildings, you don’t have a great deal of money to do anything beyond repairs,” Drury said. “That is why from time to time a school district has to ask the community to give extra help. Let’s remember, no renovation has been done to the high school since before 1960.”
According to Valerie Roberts, school public relations director, “We are one of only a few districts of our size in the state that doesn’t have extra funds from any type of sales tax or bond issue.”
Roberts said high school renovation plans call for retaining the exterior walls while gutting the building and reconfiguring the floor plan, which will include a two-story commons area and meeting room with a stage. All the windows will be replaced, and a new roof and heating and air conditioning units will be installed. The high school library/media center, now in the city’s Hightower Park across the street, will be moved to the renovated portion of the building. New classrooms will run north-south behind the existing building with a central atrium between the old construction and portions of the new.
According to Mark Haught, Altus High School principal, most of the district’s other buildings are in much better shape than the high school. “Our high school now is adequate, but we don’t feel that it is the best we can do or that it is what the kids deserve to meet their needs,” Haught said. “We’re putting out a good product, but we could do better if we can make these physical changes and bring these buildings and this campus up to speed. We are very much in need of a 21st Century high school.”
Haught said the building’s rewired electrical system is nearly adequate, but not cutting-edge, and the district plans a state-of-the-art wireless technology system and first-class computer labs for the renovated building.
“With the newer campus, we’ll be able to do things in the classrooms that we haven’t been able to do, using new technologies such as smart boards,” Haught said. “Kids are changing and want immediate results. What stimulated them 20 to 25 years ago has changed and we need to try to meet those changes. We can’t get to where we need to be technologically until we get our facility up to speed.”
Currently, students at Altus High School attend classes in a college-like setting, in several buildings spread over the entire campus of 32 acres. This creates a situation which causes about 300 students per hour to cross busy Park Lane. The new classroom addition would keep all students under one roof, except when attending special classes such as music, band, gym and ROTC. However, with the new addition, no students would have to cross Park Lane.
Drury said the district’s annual funding totals $27.7 million from the following sources: state of Oklahoma, $20 million; federal government, $4.1 million; local ad valorem taxes on real and personal property, $3.6 million. (An additional income source includes federal funds for title programs, etc.)
Complying with state statutes, the district spends the general fund education dollars on salaries (80 to 85 percent), $22.15 million; instruction (teaching materials, textbooks, fees, etc.), $2.24 million; buildings, $0.61 million; utilities $0.56 million and transportation, $0.93 million.
The district remains proud of its 2008 academic performance: a National Merit Scholar, two Academic All Staters, two schools named State Academic Achievement Award winners, two military academy appointments; however, district officials expect the students’ Academic Performance Index, a component of No Child Left Behind, to improve with the new campus and the recently instituted 2020 Project--a goal for every Altus student to read on grade level by the year 2020.
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