By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The council that has been working with RSP to try to figure out a direction for facilities efficiency is meeting Wednesday afternoon. Superintendent Mike Folks wants the committee's input a couple of issues specifically.
"One involves early education, daycare, those kinds of things," Folks said. "There's a thought about either building a new early education center or trying to get those students that are currently at the Shirley J. Hutcherson Center, along with about six or seven satellite centers across the district all into our elementary schools."
The other issue is about middle school.
"The other thought is around a middle school," Folks said. "Do we need to look at a new 6-8 middle school? Could we bring our seventh and eighth graders together and repurpose one of the middle schools?"
It's important to note that right now, the district is top-heavy in terms of enrollment.
"Current 7th graders, there's 317," Folks said. "That's the last class that's above 300. I'm looking at a kindergarten enrollment of 256. Our large numbers are grades 12 through 7."
Final decisions on facilities changes will not take place until at least next year. School board elections are November 2.