Plans for a new Johnston high school are beginning to take shape.

The Johnston school board is scheduled to consider an architectural service for the proposed new school.

The board agreed to move forward with a new tenth- to 12th-grade high school building at its Nov. 14 meeting.

The district's Physical Environment Committee and administrators met to discuss architectural services and interview firms for the school's design.

The committee and administrators are expected to provide a report on the process and a recommendation for hiring a firm at Monday's meeting.

The proposed 325,000-square-foot building is estimated to cost between $72 and $75 million, not including the purchase of land.

In December, the board approved the purchase of about 125 acres of located west of Northwest 100th Street and north of Northwest 62nd Avenue. The land could be used for the new high school. The price tag of the land was estimated to be $5.75 million.

Other agenda items include:

• An update on the Iowa Department of Education site visit to the Johnston school district. The department visits schools every five years.
• A review of the 2010-11 dropout rate report.
• A report on the upcoming PPEL renewal vote on Feb. 7.