While most residents acknowledge the outdated school facilities and thus the need to build a new high school, many expect more communication and clarity from the School Building Committee (SBC).

For example, in a survey sent out to Chinese residents of Lexington on December 7, 2024, respondents noted the overwhelming amount of information posted on the School Building Project’s website.

“Although there [is] plenty of communications on the high school projects, I felt I [was] bombarded with too much repeated information with no clear outline,” said an anonymous respondent.

However, I believe there are ways to improve this situation.

Have the Information Reach More People

It may or may not be known that the SBC holds community meetings and posts the meeting recordings, as well as accompanying slides and data sheets. However, the large quantity of information makes it difficult for residents to sift through and find the answers to what they’re looking for.

Even on the School Building Project’s website, the information can feel scattered.

Thus utilizing things like social media, or a newsletter, makes it so information can find the people, rather than having people find the information.

Make the Information Concise and Digestible

Again, the sheer amount of information available to residents can lead to more confusion, rather than less.

Most residents can’t spend hours reading all the documents and listening to all the recordings, but they may be able to spare a few minutes of their day to read concise summaries of any new developments or information they may have missed.

It would be even better to take advantage of any visual methods of communication wherever possible, which makes it even easier for people to understand the bigger picture.

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The endeavor to build a new high school as expensive as Lexington’s is appearing to be will rely heavily on communication between residents and members of the SBC. It’s important that both parties feel heard and understood so that the project can run as smoothly as possible.

The SBC has already done a lot of work in trying to design the best solution for a high school that will serve all members of the community, and are always looking for that community’s feedback.

This means that if you care, you must engage.