The new Neenah High School will feature a geothermal heating and cooling system and a fourth court in one of the gymnasiums following action by the Neenah Joint School District Board of Education at its Nov. 3 meeting.
The Board also approved moving forward with winter sports at Neenah High School as planned. The conversation was not an agenda item and was discussed during the superintendent’s report. The Board planned to hold a special meeting if any Board members wanted further discussion and an official vote on the topic. Some Board members expressed reservations about the plan, but were reassured by the strong safety protocols in place and the importance of athletics as a mental health component for students. Some Board members also noted that they would expect winter athletes to take greater precautions than the rest of the student body in order to stay eligible to compete.
The geothermal plan will cost $5 million and will be funded through the District’s operating budget in the money saved from completing the post-employment benefits funding that has been allocated toward the new high school project. It consists of piping below the school filled with a water solution that reduces the heating and cooling costs in the building by an estimated $300,000 per year. The fourth court in the gymnasium will cost $980,000 and bring the square footage of gym space consistent with the current high school. It will also help physical education courses that are losing space without a swimming pool and provide additional space for teams to reduce late night practices.
The Course, Additions, Deletions and Revisions (CADR) for 2021-22 were reviewed. The most significant changes are in math where advanced courses in algebra and geometry are deleted. It will still offer an opportunity for accelerated students to “double up” and take two courses and access the higher-level courses. Several virtual courses are also being added at all secondary levels. The Board will vote on the proposal at its Nov. 17 meeting.
A review of the 2020 summer school program was also presented. The Board and administration commended staff members for their work during the past summer, navigating an online curriculum on late notice.
Several individuals spoke during open forum with most of the comments surrounding winter sports and the value of athletics to a student’s mental health and educational experience.
In other action, the resignation of Horace Mann teacher Talia Budz was approved, effective Nov. 24. End-of-year retirements were approved for Shattuck teacher Patsy Swick and Shattuck educational assistant Joann Urbanek.
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