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FHS mulls partnership with Walton Arts Center

BY MARSHA L. MELNICHAK Northwest Arkansas Times

Posted on Sunday, September 7, 2008

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The possibility of Fayetteville High School using the Walton Arts Center space for performing arts is just one option being considered as the school district looks ahead to a new high school at the present site.

"It's just one of the things. We're trying to think creatively," said district spokesman Alan Wilbourn, who gave an update of the high school possibilities in a blog entry Thursday.

FAYETTEVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS PERSPECTIVE

Alan Wilbourn, public information officer for Fayetteville Public Schools posted the following information on the school district's Web site on Thursday.

Since the University of Arkansas withdrew the offer of $ 50 million to purchase the district properties on Stone Street, the Fayetteville Public Schools'administration has turned its efforts to working on recommendations for a new 21 st Century High School on the Stone Street properties. The FPS administration is currently working with the Nabholz construction manager and Crafton Tull architectural firm to focus on a 21 st Century model school on the Stone Street property that incorporates all 40 acres, both north and south of Stone Street.

The Board directed the administration to pursue the Morningside properties as recommended by FHS Select Committee II only if a sale was forthcoming. With no sale, it became clear that the FHS building could not be left vacant to build elsewhere. The administration will plan the new high school project for one high school to include the 9 th grade, as recommended by FHS Select Committee I and approved by the Board. The district's existing population rate, limited growth, and current state funding cannot support a second high school. In fact, it is entirely possible that opening a second high school would drive the district into financial distress. The administration's focus from this point forward will be to work with teams of secondary teachers to refine the following list of desirable elements for a 21 st Century School:

the 9-12 high school will embrace an evolving new instructional model and create the school as a workplace for 21 st century students
ndoor and outdoor gathering spaces are incorporated into circulation areas; circulation spaces are no longer just hallways
courtyards and amphitheaters will create attractive green spaces and gathering spaces
new spaces for curriculum-based informal gatherings will be designed as well as multi-use, flexible spaces for student and teacher teaming and instruction
vocational spaces will be merged into the design of the main building rather than in a "shop out back "
athletic facilities will combine concession stands and extra spaces to gather at half-time
emphasis will be placed on a performing arts centers for all kinds of student productions
new and adequate spaces will be made for choir and band
a new food service model will be based around a food court and more gathering spaces
media and technology centers will include spaces designed specifically for e-learning, video and audio production, and internet II access for scientific research
all spaces will incorporate a great deal of natural light
the new design will provide a highly visible school entrance with large gathering space and a highly visible administrative area
easily supervised access points, to control who may enter the building

Among his focus points were an emphasis on performing arts centers for all kinds of student productions and new and adequate space for choir and band.

In a letter to Fayetteville Superintendent Bobby New and University of Arkansas Chancellor David Gearhart, Fayetteville Mayor Dan Coody offered suggestions that he hoped could lead to partnerships.

One of the suggestions in that letter was sharing use of the 1, 200-seat Baum Walker Hall at the arts center to avoid having to build a performing arts hall for the school district.

"I'm wondering if there's a way they (the school district ) can partner with Baum Walker Hall, not necessarily that stage, partner with the Walton Arts Center to where they can not have to build a performing arts hall but use the one that already exists," Coody said Friday. "I just think that's an option that should be looked into."

Terr i Trotter, inter im president of the Walton Arts Center, said the possibility of sharing space with the school in the near term would be challenging but that she saw possibilities in the concept of that sharing.

"We're pretty full," Trotter said. "That would be challenging in the near term, but conceptually and for the long haul, absolutely. I think there's plenty of opportunity."

She said the concept has been discussed between representatives of the school district and the arts center as part of the Walton Arts Center feasibility study.

"It's definitely a concept we have been stirring around," Trotter said.

She said the arts center has been looking at the need in the community for spaces.

"That's the issue that we're addressing with the feasibility study. We have more people interested in using the space than we have space available," Trotter said.

Wilbourn said the district wants to consider all possibilities.

"We know we need a much larger space," he said.

Wilbourn said the auditorium at the high school will only seat 360, which severely limits use by all of the fine arts programs.

The only place right now that the Fayetteville High School band can meet all in one place is outside on the football field, Wilbourn said. There is no room at the high school big enough for the band to practice together.

"To have a facility the size of Baum Walker Hall would be fantastic," he said.

Like Coody, he sees that using the arts center space could mean not having to build something similar on the limited space of the current high school site.

"Nothing is off limits to consider how we can make this a 21 st-century high school, right here on this site."

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