A new OKCPS high school is planned for the 58 acres directly east of The Half.

It's part of the recent bond issue that was passed by voters.

Will be called Belle Isle Enterprise High School.


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Any idea why the name is Belle Isle when it's quite a bit NE of where Belle Isle lake/park/power plant were?

Any idea why the name is Belle Isle when it's quite a bit NE of where Belle Isle lake/park/power plant were?

I believe it's because there is already a Belle Isle Middle School which will be the feeder into this high school.

I believe it's because there is already a Belle Isle Middle School which will be the feeder into this high school.
Makes perfect sense then.

As an active-transit guy, I hate to see new schools built out in the boonies like this. 100% of students will have no choice but to drive or be driven to this location, which is bad for traffic, safety, environment, children's independence, community, etc. etc. etc.

I know the land is way cheaper out here but still.

Glad to see OCPS plans on this project. Sat on a committee with Odessa Wycoff, OCPS Business Coordinator prior to the formation of V-22.
We visited Skyline High School in Dallas to get some ideas, it incorporated a vocational business center with regular H.S. concept. Our plans
were put on 'hold' when V-22 took over Spring Lake Metro Tech project.

The former Belle Isle School of Business was on the site of Belle Isle Elementary before they moved the Carver Center school to this site.
There were plans for a Belle Isle Business Enterprize school as far back as the late 70s; it didn't include any kind of sports activities.

Glad to see a full high school planned for this site.

As an active-transit guy, I hate to see new schools built out in the boonies like this. 100% of students will have no choice but to drive or be driven to this location, which is bad for traffic, safety, environment, children's independence, community, etc. etc. etc.

I know the land is way cheaper out here but still.

Apparently you know something we don't, like OKC swimming in money for schools. I get your point. But this high school is for growth that way, and projected growth that way. I love that they are being proactive?

Not meaning to bash, at all. Just that in some things, you have to work with what's given.

I didn't know until recently that the middle school took over the old West Nichols Hills school and put their fifth and sixth grade there. They have so much room at the original location I wonder if they will expand there anytime soon? I'm still salty about them locking all their gates and cutting off the access to the neighborhood.

I didn't know until recently that the middle school took over the old West Nichols Hills school and put their fifth and sixth grade there. They have so much room at the original location I wonder if they will expand there anytime soon? I'm still salty about them locking all their gates and cutting off the access to the neighborhood.

^

Locking up what effectively is a big park is a travesty.

99.9% of the people paying property taxes for that facility don't have kids going to school there or ever have. So, we are all paying for that property but not allowed to access it. Why on earth not? There is no other park in the immediate area.

My neighborhood has Monroe Elementary in the middle and is never locked up; it's not even possible given the current configuration. And on any given day you see tons of kids using the playground equipment, people using the track and any number of teams using the soccer and baseball fields.

As an active-transit guy, I hate to see new schools built out in the boonies like this. 100% of students will have no choice but to drive or be driven to this location, which is bad for traffic, safety, environment, children's independence, community, etc. etc. etc.

I know the land is way cheaper out here but still.

I am confused by this statement. I also wish we had a far better transit system that gave more access to this massive city, but we would need to pay far more taxes for something like that. The Boomer's Parents moved everyone out of the city to the Burbs and caused the problem you speak of, but doesn't the school district provide buses for those who live far away? My high school was built in the 70's I believe and at that time was technically in the Boonies. I took the school buses if my parents weren't able to take me. I didn't mind it at all. Now it is to small to fit all the kids that go to it. This is a pro active move that needed to happen.

The reason for this new high school is that in areas very close to NW Classen, kids are now being bussed all the way to John Marshall. My house is maybe a 1.5 miles away from Northwest, yet I am in the JM district. I see the kids in my neighborhood standing at a bus stop very early and being dropped off quite late. Think about how far JM is from OAK.

The issue is the rapid rise of mainly Latinx families in the core, areas where many people have left to live in Deer Creek or Edmond. This is happening throughout the OKCPS: NW, Capitol Hill, US Grant and Southeast have all seen big enrollment spikes.

So Belle Isle will alleviate some of the overcrowding of schools in these areas. I know it's badly needed; they reopened Southeast after being closed for quite a while and Grant, NW and Capitol Hill are now 6A schools.

^

Locking up what effectively is a big park is a travesty.

99.9% of the people paying property taxes for that facility don't have kids going to school there or ever have. So, we are all paying for that property but not allowed to access it. Why on earth not? There is no other park in the immediate area.

My neighborhood has Monroe Elementary in the middle and is never locked up; it's not even possible given the current configuration. And on any given day you see tons of kids using the playground equipment, people using the track and any number of teams using the soccer and baseball fields.

Growing up in the neighborhood, Monroe was basically the local park on the weekends (we were much closer to school than Smitty's). We'd take the dogs up to run around, play soccer, baseball, climb on the equipment, etc. because it was all wide open. I didn't realize Belle Isle shut off their playground. That sucks.

^

It completely sucks. No way to access the park-like area at any time any day. It's ridiculous.

I can understand during school hours for safety, but evenings/weekends/summers it should be open. The neighborhood tried to meet with the principal to discuss it but they refused to.

I can understand during school hours for safety, but evenings/weekends/summers it should be open. The neighborhood tried to meet with the principal to discuss it but they refused to.

But even Monroe ES with kids no older than 5th grade doesn't limit access at any time.

There is a fence all around but there are various ways in and out that are not even set up for gates.

I sometimes walk my dog right through that property when the kids are at recess and of course they have a ton of staff out there keeping an eye out.


Maybe at a middle school there are more worries about kids bolting but they can also just walk out of the school between classes. There doesn't seem to be any logic to any of this, which is no doubt why the principal doesn't want to meet with anyone; just wants it locked down and that's the end of it.

I completely understand wanting to control access to the school itself, but even in that regard school staff are often completely illogical. When I was doing my HS class reunion a few years back, I thought it would be fun to go take photos of the feeder schools (both elementaries and middle schools). When I went to a school and told them I wanted to take some photos and exactly why, you would have thought I had walked in with a machine gun. This was during the summer with no kids around whatsoever. I finally talked to one principal and asked him what his concerns were. He stammered around for a long time and of course couldn't come up with any. Ultimately, I went through this process 5-6 times and after quite an effort was allowed to take photos at all the schools, simply because they couldn't give any reasonable explanation as to why I shouldn't.

this area is booming, glad to see this type of development

I believe this will be an application school, just like Classes SAS, so this is going to draw people from all over the metro. To that end, its location is not as important because it will mostly be a commuter school anyway.

I believe this will be an application school, just like Classes SAS, so this is going to draw people from all over the metro. To that end, its location is not as important because it will mostly be a commuter school anyway.

I'm not sure about it being application-oriented.

John Marshall is also an 'enterprise' school, whatever that is.

I'm not sure about it being application-oriented.

John Marshall is also an 'enterprise' school, whatever that is.

It's not necessarily the Enterprise moniker that defines the type of school. Application schools do not have boundary lines within the district. Nobody's address guarantees their entrance into the school.

I'm not sure about it being application-oriented.

John Marshall is also an 'enterprise' school, whatever that is.

It looks like 'enterprise' status gives them a fair amount of independence from the OKC system, once approved by the OKC school board. They have their own school boards. As well as more latitude on staffing, spending, etc.

This is the current district for John Marshall. Not only is it massive, but it goes down to less than a mile from Northwest Classen because that school is so over-crowded.

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NW Classen needs a complete overhaul too.

NW Classen needs a complete overhaul too.
Yes. I got to go through NWC a couple of years ago. 2019 if I remember right. I was very unhappy with the condition they've let my old school fall into.

As part of the new bond issue, they are planning to add 'flexible space' to the front of NW Classen:

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As part of the new bond issue, they are planning to add 'flexible space' to the front of NW Classen:

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Ugh. Covering up all that expanse of great blond(e?) brick would be a travesty.

Ugh. Covering up all that expanse of great blond(e?) brick would be a travesty.

It would make sense if they were to continue to wrap the building in the same material/look but not sure that is the direction.

It would make sense if they were to continue to wrap the building in the same material/look but not sure that is the direction.I'm sure there's some element of "look what we're doing" with the placement right in front. But they could fill in all or part of the courtyard or add on to the SE corner and leave the front alone.

I saw someone call it “the boonies,” but that area has improved since I moved here in April 2022.

The city widened Wilshire Blvd., traffic and turn signals have been added at Wilshire & Kelley (yet to be turned on), Kelley north of Wilshire is in the process of being widened, sewer construction happening there too and construction of Wings has accelerated within the last couple of months.

Let’s not forgot Hatch and everything that has came and will come with it.
There is also an Apartment complex to the east of what will be Belle Isle HS.

Definitely can expect more foot and vehicular traffic in the coming years, but keep in mind, those are dollar signs to investors and business owners.

Also, Pete — any word on Wings? It’s a “Special Needs Community” they are building on Wilshire east of Kelley. Lots of bulldozing within the last month or so. It appears the house west of that is vacant. I know someone used to live there, but a few months ago they took all their stuff and seem to have vacated the place.

I saw someone call it “the boonies,” but that area has improved since I moved here in April 2022.

The city widened Wilshire Blvd., traffic and turn signals have been added at Wilshire & Kelley (yet to be turned on), Kelley north of Wilshire is in the process of being widened, sewer construction happening there too and construction of Wings has accelerated within the last couple of months.

Let’s not forgot Hatch and everything that has came and will come with it.
There is also an Apartment complex to the east of what will be Belle Isle HS.

Definitely can expect more foot and vehicular traffic in the coming years, but keep in mind, those are dollar signs to investors and business owners.

Also, Pete — any word on Wings? It’s a “Special Needs Community” they are building on Wilshire east of Kelley. Lots of bulldozing within the last month or so. It appears the house west of that is vacant. I know someone used to live there, but a few months ago they took all their stuff and seem to have vacated the place.

I think the boonies comment was on reference more to the major dearth of residential density in the immediate area, and I think that would be a fair take if this were a normal High School. Since it will be application only, even if it were built as centrally as the John Rex Elementary, it would still be almost entirely car centric as only a small percentage would ever come from a 3 mile radius.

They were bussing students from Grant to Nw classen to alleviate overcrowding. Not sure if they still are. south okc needs another high school to releave overcrowding. Several middle schools like Jefferson have had portable buildings for over a decade.

They were bussing students from Grant to Nw classen to alleviate overcrowding. Not sure if they still are. south okc needs another high school to releave overcrowding. Several middle schools like Jefferson have had portable buildings for over a decade.
Taft and NWC have had portable "annex" buildings since I was there in the mid 70s.

That area has the route 18 that goes in that area.

Structure should be going up soon on the 1st phase of Wings.



I saw someone call it “the boonies,” but that area has improved since I moved here in April 2022.

Also, Pete — any word on Wings? It’s a “Special Needs Community” they are building on Wilshire east of Kelley. Lots of bulldozing within the last month or so. It appears the house west of that is vacant. I know someone used to live there, but a few months ago they took all their stuff and seem to have vacated the place.

This is the current district for John Marshall. Not only is it massive, but it goes down to less than a mile from Northwest Classen because that school is so over-crowded.

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And so many parents do NOT want to send their kids to John Marshall....Middle or High School. There are so many looking for alternatives.

Work should be starting very soon.

They just filed a permit for a construction trailer compound.

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The construction of Belle Isle Enterprise High School in Oklahoma City is estimated to cost around $76 million. The funds for the project came from a $955 million bond issue that was approved by voters in 2022. The school is expected to open to students in the fall of 2026.

The new high school is intended to: Fill a gap in northern Oklahoma City, Increase graduation rates, and Continue programs into high school.

Pete, they started grubbing last week. That massive rain slowed them down some.

At least this one actually looks like a school. Capital Hill can't figure out what it wants to look like.

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Why does that boundary line jut out like it does for those 3 houses? I imagine the 3 home owners don't even know it does.

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From the GH2 Architects Linkedin: "As part of the Oklahoma City Public Schools bond issue passed in 2022, the brand-new Belle Isle Enterprise High School is planned to open in 2027. The new application high school will serve the growing OKCPS student population with an approximately 185,000-square-foot new facility that will include a competition gymnasium, performing arts center, classrooms, laboratories, administrative suite, and a storm shelter. Additional site amenities include a track and field, baseball, softball, soccer, and football fields."

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