Board approves next step in facilities planning, with Simmons options still under study

What happened

The board approved an HPM planning-services agreement to continue evaluating facilities options; it did not select or authorize construction of a project. Options presented in May included replacing Simmons Middle School on site ($67.5 million at 900-student size or about $90 million at its current 1,200-student capacity), or moving Simmons to Brock’s Gap and building a new elementary school estimated at about $50 million.

Why it matters to families

This advances planning for potentially major investments and changes to school capacity or assignment, but families should not interpret the agreement as a final construction or boundary decision.

The evidence

In the October 6 meeting transcript (14:34–15:14), the superintendent described the agreement as the next step in research and planning around options HPM presented in May, and the board approved it. The May options included the Simmons replacement estimates and an alternative involving Simmons at Brock’s Gap plus a new elementary school; both remain options, not adopted projects.

The source