Oswego School District 308 officials considering plan to re-use former junior high school

Oswego School District 308 administrators presented a concept plan to re-use the former Traughber Junior High School to the Board of Education during a meeting April 27.

The district has been seeking a buyer for the building on Franklin Street at Washington Street near downtown Oswego since 2018. The Oswego Senior Center currently leases space in the building.

"We wanted to utilize space that we already have in the district and do this in the most fiscally efficient way and free up space in the elementary buildings," Superintendent Dr. John Sparlin told the board.

Sparlin highlighted the need for space for the district's transition program, as projections show enrollment increasing to 96 students by the 2022-2023 school year. Currently the program has 48 students enrolled. Called Pathways, the transition program prepares students with disabilities for adult life by teaching them the skills needed to be a productive member of their family and community.

Sparlin said the first phase of the plan could be completed by August and would move the district's administration offices - with the exception of the copy center and technology department to the former Traughber. The administration center is currently located at 4175 Route 71, Oswego. Central registration would move in the fall, while the transition program would move out of its Douglas Road building in Oswego and into the space left behind by the administration.

The second phase of the plan would occur between May and August of 2021 and would move the GOAL program and the technology department to the old Traughber, creating a second early childhood center that could house former satellite classes, as well as some classes from Brokaw Early Learning Center. GOAL is an alternative learning program that works with junior high and high school students, while the early childhood program operates out of Brokaw Early Learning Center at 1000 Fifth Street, Oswego.

Currently there are six satellite early childhood classrooms at the district's elementary schools with a seventh planned for the coming school year. According to the proposal, all seven rooms would be moved to the former East View Elementary School at 4209 Route 71, Oswego. The GOAL program currently utilizes five classrooms. Moving to old Traughber could provide additional space for the program needed.

The district vacated the former junior high school in 2017 and placed the property on the market in early 2018. Since the former school went on the market, two potential buyers have come forward and eventually backed out, due to issues with financing the sale.

Sparlin emphasized the administration's proposal is "conceptual." If the board chose to move forward, he said steps would include determining the cost to move the programs and administration, confirm the timeline for moving, and determine a source of funding.

Sparlin also pointed out the additional benefits in keeping the former junior high school, including: gymnasiums for the public to rent, additional classroom space in elementary schools, and the possible creation of a food pantry at the administration center.

"It's an idea right now that we wanted to engage in some dialogue to see if you would like us to move forward with gaining additional information," Sparlin said.

Board President Lauri Doyle questioned the feasibility of the proposal, as the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic could affect how students in programs like transition can attend school.

"There is a very real possibility that everything we're trying to do like normal isn't going to be necessary for the next school year," Doyle said. "When we're looking at the possibility, very real, that we may be needing to add additional social distancing measures for students with higher medical risks, this is the kind of program where that's going to be an issue that can't be solved by a few extra classrooms."

Doyle also pointed out that the district has "far more pressing needs" for how it uses its available financial resources, given the repairs needed at the old Traughber.

"I'm a little concerned that we would put aside things like technology, that we would put aside other facility needs for buildings that are already being used, in order to refurbish a building in order to make the swap this way without exploring better uses of the space that we have available to us that won't require this," Doyle said.

Board member Brent Lightfoot added that costs would need to be known before decisions could be made.

"If it costs too much and there's no way to pay for it, then it's kind of a non-starter," Lightfoot said. He raised the point that the district should think about bringing in a firm that specializes in square footage allocation, to ensure that if the plan continues, there isn't a need for additional space when it's too far along.

Board Vice President Matt Bauman also questioned the reuse of old Traughber, citing the cost of repairs that need to be made to the building.

"People couldn't get out of that building fast enough," he said.

Bauman also questioned if the district should be prioritizing other areas of operations in the district, including technology.

Funds for the renovations, Sparlin said, could come from the sale of the frontage space at old Traughber along Route 71, as well as the district's debt service extension bonds for the next two years - if there are any projects that could be delayed.

"We have to have a cost and we have to determine, do we have the funds," Sparlin said. "If we do, then it's a potential move forward, and if we don't, it's a good idea that we just can't afford right now."

The board will hear more on the possible move, once Sparlin and district officials provide further details on the conceptual plan for the facilities.