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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend April 18, 2006 Solution for North is in the works Medford School District ponders what route to take in school’s repairs By PARIS ACHEN Medford Mail Tribune Along North Medford High School’s large network of breezeways, there seems to be as many birds nesting in the buildings’ cedar shake roofing as there are pupils walking on campus. Dry rot infests the entire complex of 12 buildings. On rainy days, roof leaks allow water to trickle down the walls in some classrooms, and clogged and missing storm drains cause shallow flooding on walkways, which have to be closed to pedestrian traffic. "On some days, it feels like a rainforest," said Rick Parsagian, an assistant principal at the high school. Under two of three options the Medford School District’s facilities planning committee has proposed for a possible bond referendum in November, the ramshackle campus would be replaced with a new school. The options also call for repairs and upgrades at the district’s 17 other campuses. The committee is seeking input on the proposals at a public forum Monday at North High. Advertisement "We want to pull together a solid community-based bond measure, and community input is needed to produce that," Parsagian said. The meeting is the 17th of 19 the committee will hold before crafting its final recommendation to the Medford School Board for a possible bond measure. The final two will be held later in the week at Griffin Creek and Lone Pine elementary schools. The committee plans to present its recommendation to the school board May 2. The school board is expected to review the recommendation for about a month before deciding on a bond package for the November ballot. Under one option the committee has proposed, it would cost about $18.5 million for the most basic repairs to North High School, including replacing roofing and walkways, heating and air- conditioning system and windows. That amount would also add security equipment, remove and replace asbestos flooring, add lighting and make seismic repairs. Two other options call for replacing the school at a cost of $42.7 million. Built in 1967, North High is one of Medford’s newest schools. Yet, members of the facilities planning committee say it is in the worst condition of all 18 campuses in the district. The campus’ shoddy construction, referred to as "value engineering" in the 1960s, and the dominant use of wood are to blame, Parsagian said. One of the campus’ most serious problems, however, is its pressurized underground heating system. Leaks in the rotting pipes over the years have caused the pressure in the system to decrease to the minimum amount required to generate heat. On a couple of occasions in December and February, the buildings became so cold that school officials considered sending students home. If the pressure in the system declines anymore, the heating system won’t work, Parsagian said. "We are on absolute borrowed time," he said. The campus, which has the layout of a community college, is not conducive to the sense of connection school officials are trying to foster among students and teachers, Parsagian said. Buildings are spread out with breezeways connecting them. In the 1960s, high schools were generally designed on a junior college model, Parsagian said. "Our buildings were set up with that in mind," he said. "You come here, you get your information, and you go." The prevailing belief now is that students, especially those who are struggling, need a meaningful connection with an adult on campus to discourage dropping out and to set high expectations and personal accountability for academic performance, he said. The campus’ layout also makes supervision of students difficult, he said. For more details: Public forums on Medford schoolhouse bond options: 7 p.m. Monday at North Medford High, 1900 North Keene Way Drive. 7 p.m. Wednesday in the library at Griffin Creek Elementary, 2430 Griffin Creek Road. 7 p.m. Thursday in the gymnasium at Lone Pine Elementary, 3158 Lone Pine Road. For details on the facilities planning committee’s work, visit ww.medford.k12.or.us. Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Computer Security Discount Hotel Reservations online casinos news Send Flowers California Casinos GMAT Prep Windermere Van Vleet Deep Muscle Stimulator Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Sudoku Online Casinos Canada Email Security Advertisement s Advertisement