It is also lobbying the Deputy Prime Minister, local MP Bill English, to convince the Ministry of Education to put more public money towards the new technology centre and other improvements at the school.
The existing technology centre for Balclutha pupils is run by Balclutha Primary School, on the other side of town. SOHS principal Nick Simpson wants a new facility, and he wants it on the high school grounds.
That centre caters for pupils in years 7 and 8, offering tuition in woodwork, fabrics and home economics.
SOHS is planning to extend its existing information technology area.
It hopes to include a revamped technology centre as part of the overall upgrade, Mr Simpson said.
The project could cost $1.5 million, but the ministry has only contributed about $600,000 to the development.
The high school did have an earlier proposal to have, on its grounds, a new technology centre, but that fell flat when the ministry did not offer enough money.
But Mr Simpson, who started at the school last year, convened a working party to begin looking at the concept again.
It has appointed an architect, and has studied three or four possible designs.
"We've got some potential designs, and they are all exciting," Mr Simpson said.
But he suggested the time was also right to consider other improvements. The school is dominated by wooden buildings more than 40 years old.
The improvements would fit the Government's strategy to boost employment, Mr Simpson said, as work would be available for builders and tradesmen.
But the school would need more funding from the ministry for the improvements, additional to the new technology centre.
An exact location for the new centre has yet to be confirmed.
And Mr Simpson said no timeline had been set.
However, he hoped the Government and others would respond positively later this year, so work could start in earnest before the end of the year.
"It is going to be for the school, the town, the district," Mr Simpson said.
