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Frequently Asked Questions

May I use some of your site content for another purpose?
You may use the text, images, and photographs for non-commercial purposes so long as you abide by the Creative Commons License, which requires that you give proper attribution to Granger Meador, who wrote the entire site and took all of the photographs. Click the icon below for details.
  FAQ List

Why can't I see some of the floor plans or other images clearly?
Your browser may be automatically resizing the images to fit your screen. If an image seems shrunken and of poor quality, you can order your browser to restore the original picture size. In Internet Explorer try resting your mouse pointer on top of the image for a few seconds. A button will pop up in the lower right corner of the image, and if you press it the image will be restored to its proper dimensions. In Mozilla Firefox, placing your cursor on the image will show a magnifying lens icon with a + sign in it. Clicking on the image will restore its proper dimensions.   FAQ List

How does one create PixAround images?
PixAround images are created using the PixMaker software, one of the most user-friendly panoramic software packages on the market. To create an image, one puts a digital camera on a tripod and takes a series of overlapping pictures as one spins clockwise until the desired subject has been photographed. The pictures are then downloaded to a computer and imported into the PixMaker software. That program pastes them together into a single image which has been calculated to match the camera's optical qualities. For web viewing, the resolution of the image is reduced and a Javascript code is inserted into the web page to make the image viewable. For complete details, download the User Guide.   FAQ List

What will happen to the original auditorium?
The 1939 auditorium is being renovated into a new library/media center.  FAQ List

What will happen to the original library?
If and when funding becomes available, the reading room may be remodeled into a non-dedicated computer lab.  FAQ List

What improvements will be made to the existing buildings?
Skyrocketing construction costs will likely limit improvements to enclosed and handicapped-accessible links throughout the campus, new HVAC systems (which will require additional funding to complete), and renovated bathrooms on the first floor of the main building.  FAQ List

Why is the project spread out over a decade?
The board of education honored a long-standing promise to keep the school property taxes steady at about 20 mills. As old bond issues are paid off, new bonds will be issued at a rate to ensure no large jumps in the millage. Keeping the school taxes at 20 mills means it takes several years to raise the money for all of the various projects. A downside is that escalating construction costs are constraining later phases such as the new library and building renovations.  FAQ List

What determined the timing and content of each phase?
Each part of the project has a different cost, and the phases reflect the varying amounts of money that will become available as bonds are issued. Design issues also played a role, as the various buildings will be used for daily instruction throughout the construction period. Thus renovations were delayed until new space was made available for shifting classes. The phases were also planned to minimize the tearing down of new construction as different parts are linked together.  FAQ List

Do the BHS improvements reflect what citizens want?
Yes. In an April, 2000 survey of residents conducted by an independent research group, citizens favored improvements at the high school by these percentages:

• Improving the library - 88%
• Adding classroom space - 86%
• Building new science rooms - 81%
• Building a new auditorium/fine arts facility - 78%
• Building a new field house - 60%

Would it have been cheaper to just build a new high school?
No. The architects estimated that a new facility comparable to the one resulting from this project would cost at least $48 million. Also, 80% of the public polled in a 2000 survey of residents preferred the high school stay at its present location if that were the most economical option. Voters rejected by a 3 to 1 margin a 1988 bond issue to build a new high school at another location.  FAQ List

What about the other projects in the May, 2001 bond issue?
The bond issue was projected to raise $30.57 million, with about three-quarters of the funds directed to the high school renovations and additions. The bond issue also provided monies for district-wide needs, including: $2.5 million for technology, $1.5 million for transportation, $2.6 million for maintenance, and $320,000 ($30,000 per site) for playground equipment and other upgrades.  FAQ List

Did the 2001 bond issue address all district needs of that time?
No. The Long Range Facilities Planning Committee identified $38 million in recommended district improvements. Those recommendations were culled to $30.57 million for the bond issue, partly to meet a previous commitment to hold the sinking fund at about 20 mills.  FAQ List

How would changes in local employment levels affect the project?
The funding for the project is guaranteed. If the assessed valuation of the taxing district falls, the millage would rise to compensate. Bartlesville has seen corporate down-sizing for many years without tremendous effects on the school district's finances. In fact, the district's assessed valuation has been rising.  FAQ List

What is the school's location?
BHS is located in the southwest part of Bartlesville, which is a town of 35,000 located about 45 miles north of Tulsa, in northeastern Oklahoma, USA. You can map the location on Mapquest.  FAQ List

How do I stop your external links from opening new Mozilla/Firefox windows?
If you like the tabbed windows features of the Mozilla-based browsers such as Firefox, you may be annoyed that external links at this website open a new instance of the browser rather than simply open a new tab. In Firefox 1.0, you can change this behavior by typing about:config in your browser. Scroll down to the entry browser.tabs.showSingleWindowModePrefs and click it so that the value changes to true. Exit the browser, restart it, open Tools > Options > Advanced (or Edit > Preferences > Advanced if you use a Mac or Linux) and click on Tabbed Browsing to find a new option Force links that open new windows to open in: and change the behavior. Details on this procedure are online.  FAQ List

How do I report problems with the website, or offer comments?
Your input is appreciated! Please contact the webmaster, Granger Meador, via email at gmeador@bps-ok.org.  FAQ List

Where can I get more information on the project?
You can contact Mr. Chuck McCauley, Principal of Bartlesville High School, at (918) 336-3311 or via email to McCauleyCR@bps-ok.org. You may also contact the creator of this website using the link at the bottom of each page.  FAQ List

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Please direct any comments or suggestions regarding this page to:
Granger Meador, gmeador@bps-ok.org
Bartlesville High School
1700 SE Hillcrest Drive · Bartlesville, OK 74003-7299