NATCHEZ — The Natchez-Adams School Board decided Tuesday to research whether some — or most — of Natchez High School should be replaced.

The board voted unanimously for Superintendent Frederick Hill to research renovating and adding to the existing high school campus while continuing to utilize the gym and auditorium.

The research would include looking into renovating the gym and auditorium and demolishing and redoing the rest of the school as a two-story classroom facility.

Board member Thelma Newsome made the motion to direct Hill to begin research. Board member Cynthia Smith seconded.

The motion comes a month after a report by Volkert, a company that provides transportation and infrastructure engineering services, was presented at the Nov. 12 board meeting.

The report explained different plans and cost assessments for renovating NHS and Joseph L. Frazier Elementary or building new schools. A plan and cost assessment for renovating Washington School was also presented.

Volkert vice president Leon Barkan mentioned at the meeting that Frazier was over capacity. Hill expressed security concerns over the openness of Frazier and NHS’s campuses.

Some solutions mentioned were building a new high school and using the old facility to consolidate the district’s schools after renovations or using Washington as an elementary school.

Barkan raised some issues with using Washington though, such as space and the difficulty of expanding the school.

“Washington’s probably got less classroom space than Frazier has right now,” Barkan said.

In other business:

– The board discussed the Mississippi School Board Association Professional Governance Standards with MSBA Executive Director Dr. Michael Waldrop. The board also discussed ways to simplify processes and progress reports given to the public.

– The superintendent’s evaluation was originally on the agenda, but Smith moved to table the discussion until January. Newsome seconded and the motion passed 5-0.

During a break in the meeting Board President Timothy Blalock Jr. said the decision was made because not all of the test scores were in yet.

The evaluation examines a superintendent’s performance to help determine whether or not it has been satisfactory and if corrective measures are needed.

-Ombudsman Regional vice president Scott Russell shared an update with the board on the district’s alternative school before its 3-year contract goes up for renewal in the coming months.

Russell said the school has made strides to ensure the program is not just a dumping ground for students.

“It’s a place where we’re able to make some gains,” Russell said.

Since it was founded, Hill said the school had become 100-percent compliant with the Mississippi Department of Education and helped improve the district’s graduation rate.

-The board voted to accept the Natchez-Adams County recreation agreement, which has already been accepted by the county and the city governments.

The agreement would combine county and city recreation programs. The goal is to create new facilities and more efficiently operate ones that already exist.

Board member Amos James Jr. motioned to accept and vice president Benny Wright seconded. The motion passed 4-0, since Newsome had to leave the meeting early.