New Saline High School Fact Sheet

Dedicated: August, 2004

Building Size

• New HS is approximately 500,000 square feet
• Old Saline HS is 288,000 sf
• Other new High Schools in Washtenaw County include:
  • Chelsea (opened 1998) 193,500 sf
  • Dexter (opened 2002) 314,900 sf
  • Milan (opens 2003) 238,600 sf
  • Pinckney (opened 1999) 350,000 sf
  • Tecumseh (opened 2001) 194,000 sf
• Rumor says it will be the largest high school in the state of Michigan. It will not be the largest high school in population. Several high schools are over 2100 students, including both Ann Arbor Huron and Pioneer. It may be the largest in square footage. We know of no others this large in Michigan, but there are no definitive state records for building size.

Enrollment and Capacity

• Optimal capacity: 2040 students
• Projected enrollment opening day: 1775 students
• Current Saline HS has an optimal capacity of 1575, with an enrollment of 1669
• Portable classrooms provide the remaining space needed for the overflow.
• Optimal capacity for other new High Schools in the Washtenaw County area:
  • Chelsea (opened 1998) 950 students
  • Dexter (opened 2002) 1063 students
  • Milan (opens 2003) 892 students
  • Pinckney (opened 1999) 2100 students
  • Tecumseh (opened 2001) 1063 students

Cost

• Budgeted at $88 million, the actual cost projection is approximately $89 million
• The cost includes $3 million for technology and $4.5 million for furniture and equipment.
• Approximate cost per square foot compared to other new High Schools in the area (adjusted for inflation):
  • Chelsea: $31.9 million $165 per/sf
  • Dexter: $53.4 million $170 per/sf
  • Milan $43.4 million $182 per/sf
  • Pinckney $61.6 million $176 per/sf
  • Saline $89.0 million $178 per/sf
  • Tecumseh $38.8 million $200 per/sf
• The total Community Project 2000 Bond is $124.5 million in bonds to be paid off by tax payers over 29 years. An additional $10 million will be raised through interest earnings.
• Property owners will pay 7 mills property tax for the first several years and then the tax will reduce each year for the last several years until paid off.

Building Features

• The main classroom area is three stories high. The rest of the building is one or two stories high.
• The commons in the center of the building serves as the cafeteria, as well as a meeting and gathering location for students before and after school.
• The building is fully compliant with ADA (Americans with Disabilities) regulations, as well as all current fire and safety codes.
• There are three elevators and six stair cases.
• The main concourse extending the length of the building is 22 feet wide and approximately 640 feet long, or longer than two football fields placed end to end.
• Attention has been given to using materials and equipment that will provide the greatest long term use, minimize maintenance costs, and maximize energy efficiency.

Instructional Features

• The classrooms are designed with two distinct hallways on each of the three floors thus providing flexibility to place students in smaller "houses" or groupings that provide a more intimate learning environment. A variety of "schools-within-schools" models can be facilitated with the design of the academic classroom portion of the building.
• Regular classrooms (approximately 900 sf) have enough space for active learning, to group students in a variety of configurations (not just rows of desks), and to have space for computer access in the classroom.
• In addition to computer technology classrooms and labs, there will be five mobile laptop labs which can be rolled anywhere in the building to instantly provide a computer lab for specific learning activities.
• Wireless technology will enable students and staff to access the internet from wireless "Hot Spots" in the building.
• The media center/library is featured at the center of the instructional wing, providing access to books, publications, and instructional media and technology for all students and staff.

Teaching Stations Include:

• 54 General Classrooms
• 13 Science Classrooms/Labs
• 4 Art Rooms
• 11 Technology Classrooms/Computer/Business Labs
• 1 Television studio/lab (Which will also be made available to Channel 18)
• 4 Band, Orchestra, Choir, Drama classrooms
• 8 Career Education: Auto, Welding, Machine Tool, Culinary Arts/Hornet Hive, Agriscience, Child Care, Marketing/TNT school store, Graphics/photo lab
• 1 Gymnasium Complex
• 1 Swimming Pool

Physical Education and Athletic wing includes:

• Main gym (3 courts) with a second floor running track. Seating for 1250 spectators
• Auxiliary gym (2 courts). Seating for 560 spectators
• Wrestling/aerobics room. Seating for 190 spectators
• Gymnastics/multi use room. Seating for 190 spectators
• Weight lifting rooms
• Locker rooms for PE and athletics
• Training room

Swimming Pool

• This is the first school pool in Saline Area Schools.
• It is a 25 Meter Stretch Pool. Dimensions of the pool are 60 ft x 116 ft
• There are 8 competition lanes for 25 yd or 25 meter competition and the pool can have up to 10 practice lanes
• Diving area has two 1-meter boards and space to add a 3-meter board
• Seating for 500 spectators
• Moveable bulkhead allows swimming and diving simultaneously as well as greater flexibility in the use of the pool for physical education, athletic and community use.
• Moveable pool bottom in the entire shallow end allows a depth of 0-7 feet. The pool can be adjusted to various levels to accommodate a wide variety of activities such as swim meets, swim lessons for preschoolers, youth and adults, handicap swim activities, water aerobics, family and toddler swim, scuba, kayaking and more.
• CARES (community recreation) millage funds will pay for the cost of the bulkhead and moveable floor.

Auditorium

• Ellen A. Ewing Performing Arts Center is named after the former superintendent who served the district from 1990-2001 including the planning and development phase for the new High School
• Seats 1120 (About half the students and staff at one time)
• Has a main floor (640 seats) and two balconies (@240 seats each)
• Features a full fly, lighting, sound and video systems
• Planned for both school and community use
• CARES (community recreation) millage funds will contribute $200,000 to provide upgrades for community use

History of Saline High School

• 1868 - 1930.......... The first Union School housed all grades K-12. It cost $25,000 to build. It was located east of the current Union School site.
• 1930 - 1958.......... The current Union School also housed grades K-12. It cost $150,000 to build.
• 1958 - 1971.......... The current Middle School on N. Ann Arbor Street was the first "Saline High School" to house only grades 9-12. It cost $1,062,562 to build the original part of the building ($11.50/sf).
• 1971..................... Current Saline High School located on Maple Road opened. It cost $5,505,500 to build the original building ($22.75/sf).
• 1998..................... An addition and expansion to the current High School which increased capacity from approximately 1200 students to 1575 students was part of Project '97.
• 1999 - 2000.......... Community Wide Planning Education Committee studied student growth and recommended the district build a new high school and a new elementary school.
• Sept. 2000............ Community Project 2000 Bond issue passed by school district voters to build a new elementary (Harvest) and new High School. Vote was 2371 yes - 1491 no.
• Spring 2001.......... Ground breaking for the new High School site.
• Spring 2002.......... Construction of the foundations and steel erection began on the new High School
• August 2004......... Opening date for the new Saline High School. The class of 2005 will be the first class to graduate from the new Saline High School. The class of 2008 will be the first class to attend all four years at the new building.

Learn more about Community Project 2000