“We’re excited to see this long-envisioned project taking shape,” said Dr. Janet Vinson, Acting Superintendent of Stillwater Public Schools. “This campus represents a major investment in the future of education in Stillwater and enables the district to move forward with the Board of Education’s commitment to bringing ninth graders to the high school campus. We're very proud of the progress so far.”
The new high school and plans for campus were guided by an executive committee made up of district leadership, teachers, parents, students, and community members. During the planning stages, key focus groups within that committee worked to guide decisions about various components of the school’s design, including technology, safety and security, and configuration.
Project Overview and Features
Supported by the 2023 bond issue, the first part of the campus changes expands the campus by 85 percent and focuses on the new high school academic building north of Pioneer Stadium, which will feature:
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188,142 square feet, compared to the approximately 120,000 square feet of the old building
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68 Instructional spaces, 2 presentation rooms, 4 student conference rooms, a gym, and a greenhouse
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A unified, modern space for academic programs and fine arts, events, and activities.
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Enhanced energy efficiency and lower long-term maintenance costs
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Specialized STEM facilities
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Dedicated and much-expanded Performing Arts classroom spaces
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Improved safety and security measures
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Integrated 1,960 person storm shelter with restrooms and an independent power generator
The new high school is expected to be completed next summer and open for operation in August 2026. Following that project’s conclusion, the next part of campus improvements, which are also covered by the most recent bond, will begin and focus on changes to existing structures to improve and expand extracurricular facilities. While specifics are still being finalized, anticipated projects include:
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Addressing locker room space
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Improving and adding indoor and outdoor spaces for use by extracurricular activities
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Other improvements as possible
These key projects also lay the groundwork for long-range plans that include future facilities on the expanded campus for baseball, softball, and tennis facilities, bringing nearly all high school programs together on a single campus. Those projects will be incorporated into future bond proposals.
Addressing the existing SHS
With progress moving forward on the new SHS, the district launched a feasibility study to consider the aging main SHS building. The district’s Long Range Facility Planning Committee, composed of SPS staff and community members, met multiple times over a three-month period to review the study and consider options. The committee determined it would not be economically efficient to maintain or remodel that facility for other purposes.
At the May 13 meeting, Assistant Superintendent of Operations Bo Gamble, on behalf of the Long Range Facility Planning Executive Committee, presented a recommendation for demolition of the current SHS to the board. The board voted unanimously to take that action.
“Retiring district facilities is not without precedent in the district,” said Gamble. “SPS has seen several high schools – Alcott School, Horace Mann, South High and North, and other facilities like Hamilton Field and the original Will Rogers, Westwood, and Highland Park have either been demolished or sold to other organizations. Nevertheless, this was not an easy decision for the committee to make.”
“We know there’s a lot of history there,” said Gamble. “But the building is past its functional lifespan. While updates to the front help the existing structure look good and tie it in with newer structures like the Fieldhouse and Performing Arts Center, our students and staff know that the age of that facility is apparent to those inside, and repairs to the facility are becoming cost prohibitive. Repurposing the existing structure for any purpose would have come with a significant cost, and would not be economically viable.”
Gamble says that the demolition of the existing SHS academic space is the best economic decision and will begin after the new building is operational. This change will also allow for some of the future planned projects for extracurricular spaces. During the decommissioning of the building, SPS will work with alumni and community members to ensure the legacy of the existing high school is honored through meaningful commemorative efforts.
“The current SHS, of course, has the longest legacy of housing our Pioneers,” Gamble said, “but now the time has come for a new facility to serve our students into the future.”
Next Steps
The district’s Long Range Facilities Planning Executive Committee will now reconvene to provide a sound recommendation regarding the specifics of integrating ninth graders on the high school campus, in accordance with the Board of Education’s established grade reconfiguration plan. Gamble indicated that the capacity of the new building would accommodate freshmen through seniors and that initial discussions with the Director of Secondary Education Ashley Moore and High School Principal Walter Howell about that possibility have occurred. The recommendation from the LRFP Committee will include a timeline for that change and the planned shifts in grade configuration at SJHS, SMS, and the elementary schools.
Current Grade Configuration
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Elementary: Pre-K–5
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Stillwater Middle School (SMS): Grades 6–7
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Stillwater Junior High (SJHS): Grades 8–9
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Stillwater High School (SHS): Grades 10–12
2021 Board of Education Approved Grade Configuration (Start Date: TBD)
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Elementary: Pre-K–4
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SMS: Grades 5–6
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SJHS: Grades 7–8
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SHS: Grades 9–12
“This is a transformative moment for our district,” said Vinson. “We’re building an exceptional high school building that meets the needs of today’s students and laying the groundwork for the campus we’ll need in the future, while also creating a more connected, efficient, and student-centered system across all grade levels.”
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