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N. Medford highbusting at seams Wisely says a regional vocational school could ease overcrowding By VICKI GUARINO North Medford High School administrators knew classes would be crowded, they just weren't expecting them to be this crowded this soon. By the end of the first week of school, North had crossed an enrollment milestone with just over 2,000 students. By the end of this week, 2,016 had registered -- 100 more than expected. As school officials jockey schedules and add classes to make room for everyone, Medford schools Superintendent Steve Wisely sees the district nearing the time when new accommodations will have to be made. South Medford, with 1,813 students at week's end, is growing as well. "I know that there aren't too many more years we can go without having something in place," Wisely says. Wisely's "something" could be markedly different from any school in the region. He's investigating the possibility of a regional high school for technological and vocational training. Medford would take the lead in coordinating the project, but districts throughout the county would participate, and enrollment would be open to all. Wisely has discussed the potential for such a school with officials from neighboring districts and feels as though he has sufficient initial support to continue investigating the possibilities. "There is a need in Southern Oregon for a technical, vocational high school," he says. "It could provide programs for the region and maybe incorporate Rogue Community College as well." And a technology center could bring in business and industry as a funding and curriculum resource. One of Wisely's goals this year is to gather enough information for the Medford School Board to decide whether the project is worth pursuing. At the rate the community is growing, Medford's two high schools are just a few years from reaching capacity. Some sort of school building decision will have to be made well before that. North already has extended classes to early morning and late afternoon, and opened a night school. At that, Principal Don Lacey figures that the school can accommodate as many as 2,250 students. "But that is really jammed," he said. Housing construction at the opposite end of town is expected to fill South. By opting for a regional school, Medford could solve its own school crowding problem and help ease tight quarters elsewhere. In Central Point, for example, Crater High School has struggled with crowding problems for several years. Phoenix School District officials have expressed an interest in the project as they begin a community-wide assessment of all the district's building needs for the coming years. Wisely says students stand to gain much by the school he envisions. Technical support -- the facilities, the tools and supplies -- are the most expensive part of any high school. By pooling those resources in one place, top-notch equipment could be made available, while sparing the expense of smaller programs at numerous schools. The high school could include programs in drafting, wood and metal fabrication, career food programs and computer technology. The format could allow RCC to expand its programs in Medford schools. Students would attend academic classes at existing schools, then get specialized training at the new center. "There are so many possibilities, and I haven't even visited a vocational technical school yet." Wisely says. One of his first steps will be to do just that: visit one other vocational high school he knows of in Oregon, operating near Portland. From the little he has learned so far, Wisely says he is optimistic that a technical format might bring new education money into the region. Grants for a specialized high school would relieve some of the tax burden locally for school construction. "I have heard there is a whole new world of funding out there for these sorts of centers," Wisely says. At this point in planning for the district's future, the school board has no other building option in the works. Middle schools were overhauled a couple of years ago, and have plenty of room. Elementary classrooms seem to be sufficient. And despite the enrollment increases, school officials dislike the idea of building a third high school. A third school would draw too many students from existing schools, Wisely says, weakening their ability to offer high-level academic classes, the arts and languages. Because funding is so dependant on enrollment, small schools can't afford such programs. "I don't think there's any need for a third high school," Wisely says. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA