School Buildings Could Lead to Shut Down

By Carolyn D'Aquila on Wednesday, August 6, 2003.

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Kingston's Sanborn Regional High School is in bad shape – literally. The school has been cited by state and local officials for having dangerous and inadequate facilities. Now Sanborn risks losing state approval. School district officials are having a difficult time rallying public support to solve their building problems.

New Hampshire Public Radio correspondent Carolyn D’Aquila reports.

OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS FIRE MARSHALS HAVE CITED SANBORN REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL SEVERAL TIMES FOR SAFETY VIOLATIONS.

THE SOURCE OF THEIR CONCERNS IS EASY TO SPOT.

THE AUTO, WOODWORKING, AND METALWORKING SHOPS SIT IN A WOODEN BUILDING WITH EXPOSED ELECTRICAL WIRING.

IN OTHER BUILDINGS SOME STAIRCASES ARE TOO NARROW TO ALLOW EVERYONE TO ESCAPE IN AN EMERGENCY.

A THIRD OF THE BUILDINGS DO NOT COMPLY WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.

AND THE LIST GOES ON.

SANBORN REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT JIM WEISS SAYS SANBORN IS AT
A CRITICAL JUNCTURE.

WEISS CRISIS/NEED TO HAVE FUNDED PLAN/ OR WE DON’T HAVE A PLACE TO PUT 585 KIDS AND THAT’S 585 KIDS WITHOUT A FUTURE.

THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION HAS GIVEN SANBORN ONE MORE YEAR TO PRESENT A PLAN TO BRING ITS FACILITIES UP TO MINIMUM STANDARDS.

OTHERWISE, THE BOARD WILL REVOKE SANBORN’S STATE APPROVAL, EFFECTIVELY SHUTTING IT DOWN.

SUPERINTENDENT JIM WEISS SAYS A LOSS OF STATE APPROVAL WOULD BE GRAVE.

NO ADEQUACY FUNDING, TRUANT STUDENTS,

SANBORN ALSO STANDS TO LOSE ITS ACCREDITATION WITH THE NEW ENGLAND ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES.

SCHOOL BOARD CHAIRMAN JAN BENNETT SAYS THE BOARD’S CHOICES ARE CLEAR.

WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH A FUNDED PLAN BY MARCH TO EITHER RENOVATE OR REMODEL

THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS BEEN STRUGGLING TO GAIN PUBLIC SUPPORT.

LAST MARCH IT PRESENTED A $28 MILLION DOLLAR PROPOSAL FOR A NEW HIGH SCHOOL.

THE WARRANT ARTICLE FAILED AT THE POLLS.

IT NEEDED 60-PERCENT APPROVAL, BUT ONLY GOT 44-PERCENT.

THE PROPOSAL’S FAILURE PUT DISTRICT OFFICIALS BACK AT SQUARE ONE.

AT A RECENT SCHOOL BOARD FORUM, PUBLIC ATTITUDES WERE MIXED.

VOX I'm a parent of small children, and I think we need it/Scale down the costs/I think they should have asked us about Renovations/I think we need it, but it costs too much/

SCHOOL BOARD CHAIRMAN JAN BENNETT SAYS THERE’S LESS WIGGLE ROOM THAN THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS.

SHE SYAS IT MAKES NO SENSE TO BUILD A SCALED-DOWN FACILITY OR RENOVATE THE CURRENT ONE.

JAN BENNETT/ IT’S SHORTSIGHTED…WILL BURDEN THE FUTURE WITH CONTINUED DIFFICULTIES

SCHOOL OFFICIALS MAKE NO SECRET ABOUT THEIR PREFERRED COURSE OF ACTION.

TO HELP THEM WIN SUPPORT FOR A NEW BUILDING, THEY COMMISSIONED A SURVEY OF LOCAL ATTITUDES.

THEY LEARNED THEY FACE A FAMILIAR PROBLEM – THE SURVEY SHOWED THAT VOTERS DON’T TRUST THE SCHOOL BOARD AND SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS.

WITHOUT THAT TRUST, IT IS DIFFICULT TO GET TAXPAYERS TO OPEN UP THEIR WALLETS.

IF THE VOTERS IN THE SANBORN SCHOOL
DISTRICT CANNOT AGREE ON A PLAN BY MAY, THEY MIGHT HAVE TO SEND SANBORN'S 585 STUDENTS SOMEPLACE ELSE.

IF THEY CAN. ALL AREA HIGH SCHOOLS HAVE ALREADY SAID THEY'RE FILLED TO CAPACITY.

FOR NHPR NEWS I'M CAROLYN D'AQUILA