(ST. JOSEPH, Mo.) The St. Joseph Board of Education announced on Monday that the district is in negotiations with American Family Insurance to purchase its headquarters as the proposed site for a new high school.

"The search for suitable sites that would fit the educational needs for a future SJSD high school are limited in the city of St. Joseph," said Dr. Doug Van Zyl, SJSD Superintendent. "There are a number of moving parts that must be resolved before this becomes a reality."

The district said at a press conference that the final agreement is contingent on successful negotiations and the passage of a $107 million school bond issue on April 6.

The building on Mitchell Avenue is for sale.

The district believes the current building could be repurposed and transformed into a 21st century facility for students in grades 9-12.

"We have heard from many of our constituents that they are interested in knowing the location of a proposed new high school," said Pasley. "While negotiations are just getting underway, we thought it was important for the public to be aware of the Board and administration's tentative plans and keep our line of communication open with the public."

The district has announced its plans to move toward consolidating to two high schools and reconfiguring the grade levels to reflect a K-5, 6-8 and 9-12 educational model.