The larger goal is to launch several programs quickly and build momentum, creating a pipeline of engagement and opportunity that can grow over time. CAPITAL OUTLAY: INFRASTRUCTURE FIRST, THEN EXPANSION The district’s capital priorities reflect both opportunity and constraint. On one hand, Dr. Scott is preparing to bring a set of CTE programs to the board for approval and funding. On the other, he is navigating legacy infrastructure issues tied to earlier work that must be corrected before the district can move forward confidently. In his words, he is sometimes forced to “go backwards to go forwards,” addressing workmanship and building-condition issues so classrooms remain comfortable, functional, and visually supportive of learning. Another major capital initiative involves a facility that is both symbolic and community centered: an Olympic-size swimming pool located in the middle school. The pool once served not only students but the broader community, and it has been closed for roughly a decade. The board challenged Dr. Scott secured funding to reopen it, and he has made meaningful progress. The full renovation cost is estimated at approximately $1.7 million, and a local senator—who learned to swim in the same pool as a child—has earmarked $1 million toward the project. Dr. Scott is now working to close the remaining gap and bring the pool back online as both a student resource and a community asset. SECURITY AS A DAILY OPERATING REALITY Like districts across the country, security has become part of daily leadership. Dr. Scott describes safety planning as constant, including vestibule improvements, daily building checks, shooter drills, and a working relationship with local law enforcement. In a reflection of local pride and connection, the police chief is also a graduate of the district, one of many examples Dr. Scott cites of how tightly interwoven the school system and the community remain. Safety, he emphasizes, is no longer a general concept. It has become specific, operational, and persistent. REINFORCING IDENTITY THROUGH COMMUNITY HISTORY One of the most compelling initiatives Dr. Scott shared is a project rooted in rebuilding pride. Recognizing that students often only know the community as it exists today, he plans to create a living “museum” experience centered on the town’s history, including the factories, downtown businesses, and commercial anchors that once defined the area. 190 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 07, ISSUE 02
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