Here’s what Highland High School could look like in a few years

POCATELLO — Work is moving guardant connected plans to rebuild parts of Highland High School damaged by a ample occurrence past year.

The Highland High School Rebuild and Design Committee is still successful nan readying and improvement shape to rebuild nan half nan schoolhouse that was destroyed successful past April’s fire. Pocatello/Chubbuck School District 25 anticipates by December aliases January, it will beryllium fresh to put nan $64 cardinal building task retired to bid, and estimates nan rebuild will beryllium complete successful 2027.

“It’s specified an breathtaking project,” said territory spokeswoman Courtney Fisher. “(The committee is) reaching for nan stars and past pulling it backmost to make judge that it’s really wrong fund and besides gathering needs.”

The task is being funded done a operation of security money, accommodation backing authorities passed successful nan Idaho legislature and nan district’s ongoing superior improvements program. This allowed nan territory to inquire voters to ballot nary connected a $33 cardinal enslaved measurement they put connected nan May 22 predetermination ballot.

RELATED | Pocatello/Chubbuck schoolhouse trustees to patrons: Vote nary connected their $33 cardinal enslaved ask

The schoolhouse territory released conceptual drawings and level plans for nan restored schoolhouse connected their website. On June 24, nan schoolhouse committee voted to move guardant pinch nan last draught of these designs, which are expected to beryllium released wrong nan adjacent mates of months.

As nan designs aren’t finalized, location are still aspects of nan task that could alteration earlier crushed is surgery and building begins.

The designs show nan destroyed half would beryllium replaced successful nan footprint of nan aged building, pinch a marque caller auditorium, cafeteria/commons area and a main and precocious gym. The designs besides show caller arts classrooms, wide intent classrooms, a caller room and galore areas for storage.

The precocious level of nan rebuild. | Courtesy PCSD 25

The little level of nan rebuild. | Courtesy PCSD 25

This auditorium creation has 806 seats, a 3,956 quadrate ft shape and an orchestral pit. The 11,850 quadrate ft main gym is surrounded by 2 wrestling areas, a multi-use diversion abstraction and a locker room area pinch offices for coaches.

On nan precocious level, location is simply a weight room, auxiliary gym and 4 abstracted areas for storage, 1 for athletics, drama, set past music. Three wide intent classrooms are besides connected this level.

Vice-Principal and Athletic Director Travis Bell said while operating pinch half of a schoolhouse has brought challenges for athletics and nan arts, what he has missed nan astir is having assemblies successful nan gym.

“I can’t hold to beryllium capable to get everybody backmost wrong that large gym … and person immoderate nosy and do each those things astatine schools that’s a large portion of schoolhouse culture,” said Bell.

In summation to nan indoor commons area, there’s besides an outdoor commons area, pinch a canopy complete nan entranceway to nan caller conception of school.

“Those spaces will let Highland to really travel together arsenic a community,” Fisher said.

Some achromatic models of nan imaginable outdoor areas successful nan caller Highland. | Courtesy PCSD 25

The designs besides show respective of nan classrooms successful nan still-standing information of nan building receiving a remodel.

“We won’t beryllium capable to touch each room and each abstraction conscionable because of budgeting constraints, but this committee was very thoughtful successful its attack to improving every, each furniture of Highland that they perchance tin wrong those constraints,” Fisher said.

The creation of nan imaginable remodel of nan existing precocious school. | Courtesy PCSD 25

Not everything successful these designs whitethorn travel to fruition, arsenic nan designs person not been finalized. But, Bell hopes they tin meet astir of nan goals of nan Highland Rebuild Project, and he says “2027 can’t travel accelerated enough.”

“It’s gonna beryllium astonishing for our faculty, our coaches, our students, astir importantly successful our community,” Bell said.

Where nan rebuilt conception will go. | Courtesy PCSD 25