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Medford board OKs plans to create two new schools By VICKI GUARINO The Medford School Board set in motion Tuesday the timetable to get two new schools open within four years. One of the schools, a technology skills center, is an entirely new approach to education for Medford. The schedule, circulated in draft form a couple of weeks ago, sets out roles for some 60-90 community members to join in the planning for a new middle school and the high school emphasizing technological skills and advanced career training. The project, a sweeping change for public school education in Medford, is proving to be a popular idea in the community. In the three weeks that schools Superintendent Steve Wisely has talked publicly about the project, he said he has received strong support and encouragement. "To the person, they are excited about what we are proposing," Wisely told the school board. "I've never had so much fun in my life, to tell you the truth." According to the district's timetable, the two schools would open in the fall of 2004. Although administrators aren't close to estimating costs, the district is planning to seek voter approval of a bond measure in November 2002. District officials have begun studying financing and are optimistic that state and federal funds will help pay for the high school project because of its regional job-training value. The next step will be gathering volunteers to work on planning committees to guide three aspects: the technology skills center; the middle schools, which could be expanded to include sixth grade; and potential changes at North and South Medford high schools. Each of the three committees would have 20-30 members. Wisely is to present committee nominees to the board in September. The committees will meet through next spring. "They will read materials," Wisely said, "they will hear speakers. We will have site visitations. We are going to work them hard." Public forums on the committees' and district's research and recommendations are to be held in fall 2001. At its most basic, the plan answers the demands of long-range growth projections. District enrollment, now 12,400, has been growing about 2 percent a year. At all grade levels, schools are nearing capacity. The middle school portion of the project includes restructuring of the middle grades by moving sixth-graders to a three-grade school. The shift would create more room at elementary and middle schools. Most public attention has been drawn to the high school proposal. The district would build a third high school focusing on real-world professional and technical training. The intent is to give students better job and training options. The center also could help the community establish a skilled work force that would lure business and industry to the region. In part, the plan grew from reports that some businesses have avoided coming here because of skilled labor shortage. Local business leaders and economic development specialists have praised the concept. Career training would be guided by business and industry. Graduates could qualify for skilled jobs and higher levels of technical or college training. Possible courses and curricula include: automotive technology, cosmetology, electro-digital technologies, legal and medical office applications, criminal justice, pre-apprenticeship painting, graphics technology, hospitality and tourism, retail management, agriculture science and technology. The school would feature hands-on training and focus on individual students' talents, interests, needs and learning styles. The new school also would work with Rogue Community College, Southern Oregon University and Oregon Institute of Technology to prepare students for advanced studies. Today's Edition : News | Sports | Business | Weather | Tempo | Classifieds Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA