Erin Duffy / World-Herald staff writer wrote:Repairs and renovations to Omaha Public Schools buildings could carry a price tag of up to $650 million.
The school district's latest facility study identifies $570 million in building upgrades for 79 schools, whose needs range from relatively simple maintenance projects — paint touch-ups and roof repairs — to multimillion-dollar classroom additions to ease overcrowding.
Why don't they turn to families for minor maintenance? Granted, we send our kids to a private school. That said, when they mentioned wanting the school painted but being unable to afford it, a group of 30-40 men stepped up and painted the whole school. Kids were also helping us. It was a great experience and the kids learned some good lessons as well.
Check two middle schools I am familiar with -- Buffett would be schedule for $7.8 million and Marrs only $446,000 - both are overcrowded… but Buffett might get a swimming pool??
Uffda wrote:Check two middle schools I am familiar with -- Buffett would be schedule for $7.8 million and Marrs only $446,000 - both are overcrowded… but Buffett might get a swimming pool??
Uffda wrote:Check two middle schools I am familiar with -- Buffett would be schedule for $7.8 million and Marrs only $446,000 - both are overcrowded… but Buffett might get a swimming pool??
Isn't Buffett only about 5 years old?
No it is either 9 or 10 years old. It is packed as Buffett (somewhere around 1300-1400 students) has 10-11 portables. Marrs is overcrowded (somewhere around 1200-1300) but there is no room for portables, so several teachers travel between rooms
“It’s a $60 million gamble that’s before this board,” board president Justin Wayne said at a meeting earlier this month. “Where do we think people are going to migrate to? And in the process, what’s going to happen to Northwest and Benson?”
When it comes to building the new schools, school construction consultant Tracy Richter said it’s not a matter of either-or.
Data confirms anecdotal stories from parents: More students are opting out of OPS every year, often for schools to the south and west.
Those areas are the fastest-growing in OPS, and roughly 1,000 empty housing lots await development in the northwest part of the city.
“You need both,” Richter told board members. “The question isn’t, do I do one or the other?”
Costs for the new high schools have swelled to $73 million each, factoring in the expense of land acquisition. That doesn’t include annual operations, which range from $8.9 million at Benson to $15.4 million at Central this past school year. OPS’s total operating budget is about $570 million.
Garrett wrote:OPS needs this. When I went to Millard North, it was almost like Buffett was another Millard middle school with all of the kids that were there.
Garrett wrote:OPS needs this. When I went to Millard North, it was almost like Buffett was another Millard middle school with all of the kids that were there.
Buffett needs a swimming pool?
No, I was referring to the two new high schools. You know what I was saying.
Garrett wrote:OPS needs this. When I went to Millard North, it was almost like Buffett was another Millard middle school with all of the kids that were there.
Buffett needs a swimming pool?
No, I was referring to the two new high schools. You know what I was saying.
Problem is that, in typical government form, they identify what they need and include it in something filled to the brim with sh*t they don't need. If you then oppose the spending increase (bond issuance, etc.) you "don't support the kids."
Garrett wrote:OPS needs this. When I went to Millard North, it was almost like Buffett was another Millard middle school with all of the kids that were there.
I have known students who select a Millard HS as they don't want to go to Burke Or NW.
Does Buffett need a pool? Probably not although the swim teams have to travel to Nathan Hale for Practice.. Not sure why they don't go to Burke.
Buffett does need more classrooms as they have at least 10 portables although if they would draw better/stricter boundary lines it might help
Marrs Middle is the second biggest middl school and needs more classrooms but not really any room for them - unless they went up. No room for portables either.
The Omaha Public Schools board will hear a proposal Monday to build a largely privately funded, 45,000-square-foot addition onto Central High that would house a new library, a black box theater and art and music classrooms.
At the school board meeting, Central High and Central High Foundation staff members will outline the idea for a public-private partnership to raise funds for the addition and renovation of existing classroom space. The entire project is expected to cost $15 million to $21 million.
Whatever they decide to had better not destroy the iconic sight lines or appearance of the facade in any way, shape, or form. This is one of the most unique structures downtown. They MUST be considerate of that. With all the development on Capitol Ave I want to be able to look up Capitol and see a building that looks like it could have been the Capitol. DO NOT SCREW THIS UP DLR!!!!!!!
long123 wrote:OPS needs this. When I went to Millard North, it was almost like Buffett was another Millard middle school with all of the kids that were there.
I think part of that is parents who didn't want their child in an OPS High school or lived on the border between OPS and Millard. I know several former Buffett students who attended Central.
Greg S wrote:Exactly. I live out near there. My kids will go to the new OPS high school, Central (which is full) or I opt in to another district.
Greg
Hedge your bets Greg. Move now before the kids need the HS. Very tough to opt into Millard (esp if you are white). I have several African American kids heading into HS from NW Omaha and getting anything but Omaha NW is seemingly impossible (Millard, 66, or better OPS schools).
Hedge your bets Greg. Move now before the kids need the HS. Very tough to opt into Millard (esp if you are white). I have several African American kids heading into HS from NW Omaha and getting anything but Omaha NW is seemingly impossible (Millard, 66, or better OPS schools).[/quote]
I have heard that NW HS has been making some strides to turn around the reputation. I do know they have been gaining student population which wasn't happening in the past. I have also had some former students from Buffett go there and they loved the atmosphere.
Hedge your bets Greg. Move now before the kids need the HS. Very tough to opt into Millard (esp if you are white). I have several African American kids heading into HS from NW Omaha and getting anything but Omaha NW is seemingly impossible (Millard, 66, or better OPS schools).
I have heard that NW HS has been making some strides to turn around the reputation. I do know they have been gaining student population which wasn't happening in the past. I have also had some former students from Buffett go there and they loved the atmosphere.[/quote]
Good to hear. The kids I have had there have not been happy and their parents were even less so. NW needed some serious reform. Hope they are getting it.