Fifth Street Property Discussed at Meeting

On Monday night, the Northwest Community College District Board and SCSD#2 Board discussed the dual and concurrent enrollment program and the future use of the Fifth Street property. NCCD board chair Debra Wendtland opened the meeting, and turned the floor over to Dr. Walt Tribley, Sheridan College President, “We can’t help our community unless we work together, I look forward to a very productive night, we enjoy a very good m provocative relationship with your team at SCSD#2.

Stults added that this is all about what is best for our kids. He said SCSD#2 appreciates the partnership between the high school and Sheridan College.

Mitch Craft took the floor to talk briefly about Dual Enrollment, Sheridan College and SCSD#2 continue to foster and expand dual and concurrent enrollment programs for high school students.

Sheridan College offers, at no cost to students, up to 24 credits for SCSD#2 juniors and seniors via the dual enrollment. In 2020-21, there were 96 students enrolled in the program and they earned 417 college credits. In the 2021-22 year, there are 150 students projected to complete the courses with a total of 928 credits earned, with the tuition value of $67, 425 for 20-21 and $141, 984 for 21-22. Textbook costs covered by SCSD2 was $13,954 and $26,153 respectively.

Craft said concurrent enrollment was college course taught by college approved high school teachers at the high school, and student earn both high school and college credits.

In 2020-21 there were 287 students enrolled in the concurrent enrollment and in 21-22 there is a projected 317 students taking the courses.

After the report on the enrollment, Craft gave an update on the Fifth Street property, the former Holly Sugar land, donated to SCSD#2 by Scotty and Janet Scott, and the First Federal property, which the school purchased.

Tribley said that there are several ideas being shared with the school, local food is one concept, along with sports and community needs.

The problem is funding. Craft said that the school district is working with a professional to find out what grants might available. He said the money is out there, and many schools are taking advantage of grant opportunities by working with partners.

There is no money from the state for any facilities to be constructed on the property as it is considered as enhancement by the Wyoming School Facilities Division, so the funds will have to come from elsewhere. Grants are available for the planning, then for the construction, so the project doesn’t have to get the money all at once.

The school is working with Ridgepoint Consulting about the codes and property lines and easements. They told the school that the largest possible building that could be built on the property was 82,000 square feet.

Craft added that the school has had community meetings and circulated a survey to the community asking for input on the property. “Because the land was used by Holly Sugar for so long and because the greenhouses are still there, there were a lot of food related ideas for the property. Farm to table ideas were talked about as well as youth activities and sports, Economic development was also mentioned as a possibility for the property. The survey wasn’t focused on any one sector. “We talked to Travel and Tourism, Downtown Sheridan Association and Chamber of Commerce and Sheridan College,” Craft said. Other ideas were using the land to build a new home for the high school culinary program and tie it into producing local foods with the greenhouses already there.

Craft said that the needs of our community and schools evolve over time. The course offering in the center would be built so they can transition from one program to another. An indoor track facility, and more space for the high school’s CNA program were also mentioned as some uses for a new building.

The concept of a career development center and a community events center appears to be the direction the school feels would be best for the property. These could both be under one roof. Stults had this to say about a career development center.

Craft said that the new building might be used as a large events center that could be used for conferences expos, and other events coming in. He mentioned the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Club that was in Sheridan last summer one complaint was there was no building large enough to get everyone in the same room at the same time.

The next steps are to solidify the concepts, formalize the partnership, develop site renderings and look into funding options.

Concluding the meeting, Wentdland said how fortunate Sheridan was to have a college and a high school that worked together for the best interest of the students, as many towns don’t have this partnership.