Moberly furthers plans for new high school

Construction company hired, architects, engineers sought

The Moberly School district is taking one more step forward towards the construction of a new high school as it solicits proposals for architectural and engineering services.

Talk of a new high school began under the former administration of Robert Bach. The idea continued with the school board after his June 2008 retirement and the promotion of Mark Penny to superintendent. A task force was formed and its first meeting was held in October 2009. Cramped quarters, overworked power systems and deteriorating structures, all possibly contributing factors to lower test scores, have spurred the task force and the school board to continue taking steps to the polls to ask voters for money for a new building.

The request for proposals for architectural and engineering services is on the district website (moberly.k12.mo.us). It states JE Dunn Construction has been selected as the construction management company.

In a request for proposals, the scope of work states the construction project “will be designed for approximately 800-1,000 students. The program spaces include but are not limited to, a cafeteria, media, core classrooms, science, art, music physical education, administration, clinic, ISS and support spaces totaling approximately 111,000 SF (square feet).”

The proposal request gives a tentative schedule for constructing a new facility. It includes the proposal request, walk-through and interviews for architectural services. October 12 is the date given to receive board approval and the bond issue would go before voters in April, 2011. The design and bidding phases of the project would take place from April – December 2011, construction would begin in November and construction would be complete June 2013.