The first of three subcommittees is in the process of being formed as part of the effort to develop Ripon Unified’s Facility Master Plan.

This group will come from members of the school board-approved steering committee, consisting of “people who represent all walks of the community,” said Superintendent Bill Draa at Wednesday’s Facility Master Plan community board kickoff.

The Fresno-based architects and engineers firm TETHER – representatives were Shaun Blaylock in Education and Facility Standards and Amanda Green in Facility Planning – and school facility consultant Matthew Pettler were on hand to provide suggestions to committee members on formulating the FMP.

“This is not the first time (RUSD) has attempted putting together a facility master plan,” Trustee Ernie Tyhurst. “One was presented to the board in 1997 but was never adopted. Why? I don’t know?”

Why now?

“New housing (on the Austin Road area in Manteca) is coming,” said Draa. “Education is also changing – we have to formulate the best way to educate our students, from T-K through 12th grades.”

Tyhurst said that FMP is similar to that of a general plan. “It’s a blue print towards educating our students,” he noted.