Future CCHS

Path to a new high school
 

Why a new high school?

Project History

Building Designs

Site Plans

Funding

What does the community think?

Public Forum

FAQ

Home

Public Forum

A public forum was held on January 23, 2008, to further inform the public about the future of Columbia City High School.

WHITLEY COUNTY CONSOLIDATED SCHOOLS
JANUARY 2008 FORUM REPORT
FUTURE CCHS

On Wednesday, January 23, 2008, at 7:00 PM, a Forum was held at the Columbia City High School to continue our work on the “Future CCHS” project.  This is a significant project for our school community to address the needs of our high school youth for now, and for the future.  It is a project that we also view from the lens of being an educational center, designed to be utilized in many ways for the entire community with options yet to be considered.

We were quite pleased to have about 150 people attend the Forum, inclusive of students, parents, staff, community members, and the School Board of WCCS.  Also at the Forum were team members from City Securities and Gibraltar.  It was a great audience and we sincerely appreciated the time and ideas given by those who were able to attend.

The agenda for this meeting included an informative session followed by small group work in various classrooms of CCHS.  The Forum included:

  1. Welcome and Program Overview-Jack Peterson, Gibraltar

  2. Summary of Project Review Process-Don Armstrong, WCCS Board President

  3. Educational Environment/Program-Laura Huffman, WCCS Supt.

  4. New High School Designs/Future-Jim Thompson, Gibraltar

  5. Project Financing-Rod Wilson, City Securities

  6. Project Timeline-Tony Zickgraf, WCCS Business Manager

  7. Small Group Work-Led by PACE Leaders-see below

  8. Final Large Group Sharing-Jack Peterson, Gibraltar

  9. Closing Comments-Don Armstrong, WCCS Board President

Small Group Work-led by PACE Leaders Barry Dupen, Linda Hyndman, Michelle Thomas, John Meister, Marty Klimek, Laurie and Nick Steill, Frances and Charlie Brown.

The small group work included answering the basic question of:

What are the pros and cons of the project?

Each group met and listed many different things to consider and these have now been formatted in the following areas:  Educational Program, Facility Design, Business and Finance, and Other.  Questions and ideas were listed by each group and also on index cards by Forum participants.  Each question has been addressed in the following pages.  Some areas include also suggestions.  Please read through the following to see what Forum participants shared!  Their input, and your input, you who are reading this now, matter!  This is a project for our entire school community and we continue to seek ideas and thoughts as we move carefully and diligently through the many phases of a building project.  It is our sincere desire to involve the entire community and to keep you informed.  If you have any questions or suggestions that you want to add, please feel free to contact us at the Central Office for WCCS at 260-244-5771 or e-mail us at futurecchs@wccs.k12.in.us or write to us at WCCS Central Office, The Ralph Bailey Administration Center, Marshall Building, 107 N. Walnut, Columbia City, Indiana 46725.

In addition the participants at the Forum were given the opportunity to answer a general project question and the following results were tabulated from this opportunity:

Are you in favor of the project? 43

Are you opposed? 9

Are you undecided? 27

(Not all participants voted)

“A NEW COLUMBIA CITY HIGH SCHOOL WILL ENHANCE THE EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT FOR STUDENT LEARNING, INCREASED OPPORTUNITY, AND HIGHER ACHIEVEMENT”

Thanks again to all who attended the Forum.  Here are your questions and thoughts!