In the coming weeks, ASFA administration plans to talk to students about the newly-developed strategic plan, which was recently approved by the school's board of trustees. The strategic plan has been in the works for a while, with students, parents, faculty and staff contributing input and their hopes and dreams over the lengthy planning process. The plan includes a variety of proposed changes to the school, both big and small, which would be implemented during the next 2-8 years.
ASFA President Dr. Tim Mitchell says that the strategic plan showcases areas the school plans to expand, renovate or reconfigure in the near future. “Our priorities are the specialty spaces, followed by the classroom spaces, followed by a new dorm. And somewhere in there is the 820 Building,” he says, referring to the building at 820 18th Street, the address for the ASFA Annex.
However, Mitchell says that there’s a problem in terms of developing that property. The building is only used for storage at the moment. It is not up to code, and it will cost a lot to renovate. “There are no fire controls, no alarms, no fire exits,” says Mitchell. “We will need millions of dollars; renovation will be very expensive.”
Once the school raises the money, there are many options for reimagining the property. “We [will] tear down the building, and one or more of our specialties could have a wing there," Mitchell says. "Or, we could build vertically and have a new dormitory.”
Though anything pertaining to the 820 Building is still speculative and will not be addressed for quite a few years, other changes outlined in the strategic plan are already taking place.
One of the recent changes that administration has made is opening Math/Science department admissions to 7th graders. “Everything else starts in 7th grade, so they should also start in 7th grade,” says Mitchell.
Students have been participating in the strategic planning process for the past year and a half. Mitchell has been organizing faculty-student lunches in order to discuss the strategic plan. He says, “We had student groups like the Black Student Union, the GSA, and the Agriscience Union to tell us what their hopes and dreams for ASFA were.” Administration took notes during these meetings and incorporated student feedback into the plan's development.
ASFA administration plans to talk to the student body about the strategic plan within the next few months, with more details being released to ASFA families soon.
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