JCPS superintendent talks new high school timeline, transition

One day after Propositions J and C passed in Jefferson City, the school district is moving forward with plans to build a new high school.

Right now, the goal is to cut the ribbon on the new school building by the fall 2019 semester.

Superintendent Larry Linthacum said he’s going to be working over the next couple weeks to get a more clear timeline.

He also said the district is going to make use of the land it already purchased off Highway 179 and Mission Drive.

The total cost of the new school is $85 million and another $45 million is going toward renovations to the current high school.

If all goes as planned, many students in the current sixth and seventh grade classes will be the first students to study in the new school.

Linthacum said based on his research, a phase-in approach is the best way to integrate a new facility.

“When we’ve talked with other schools about what’s worked, what did not, that is what seemed to have worked the best,” said Linthacum. “That transition as a phase-in approach is the plan that schools, not only across the state but across the nation, when they added an additional high school of what worked best.”

Linthacum also said as plans are being made, he’s going to be looking for a lot of input from staff, particularly teachers.