St. Cloud School Board Member Renews Push For 1 High School

ST. CLOUD  - A St. Cloud area school board member is renewing his push for a one high school system for District 742. Bruce Hentges says now is the time to explore the operational costs of running one new school, instead of the current two school system.

For one example, the Wayzata high school is the biggest school in Minnesota, and they considered building a second high school. They did a study and found out that actually to run a second high school would cost them $6 million more per year in operating costs than running a single high school.

Also, the Edina and Hopkins districts have both consolidated from two high schools down to one.

Hentges says a single high school would also mean smaller classes sizes, and give students more extra curricular opportunities.

Voters in District 742 rejected a bond referendum last fall to build a new Tech high school and remodel the current Apollo high school.

District leaders say a new referendum could be voted on as soon as this November.