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Huge crowd gathers to hear first of school board options on spaceBy Barbara Brown The North Branch School Board wasnít expecting the more than 100 people who packed the high school cafeteria Monday night to discuss classroom space concerns. Although unexpected, the board was pleased to see so many homeowners interested in space options for the districtís schools, said board chairman Mary Jo Ahlgren. Superintendent Robert Stepaniak said the board is ìat the end of the ropeî when it comes to cramming students into lesser-used areas of the Main Street, Primary and Middle schools. He said students are taking art classes in a former locker room in the basement of the Main Street School, that closet space and hallways are often alternatives to traditional classrooms because the buildings simply cannot accommodate more students. A referendum to the voters to build a new elementary school and make upgrades to the Primary School, at a price of about $26 million, failed twice in 2001. About 30 parents and teachers have rekindled the movement to pass the referendum in the spring. When studying the option of renting portables for the schools or leasing space in a warehouse or office building, several assumptions were considered. The board and committees assumed that class sizes would not grow or shrink, that grade configurations at the schools would remain as they currently are situated, that support services would remain at the present level and that the option chosen would be the biggest bang for the buck. Estimates show a minimum need of two classrooms each for the Main Street and Primary schools and five classrooms for the Middle School to get through the 2002-2003 school year. To maintain class sizes and address the number one priority of getting all the students into suitable classroom space, the schools need 13 total classrooms. Additional rooms, up to 22, would be needed to reduce class sizes and get all students into decent classrooms. School administrators from the Main Street and Primary schools presented pros and cons to choosing portables or leasing off-site space at Monday nightís meeting. The portable option would be unintrusive into the lives of parents and teachers, both Primary School principal Jan Fischer and Main Street School principal Sara Svir said in their presentations. However, portables would create a need for additional staff to escort students back and forth and leasing off-site space would require increased security measures and additional staff, such as guidance counselors, psychiatrists, speech pathologists and other specialized staff, for those off-site areas. According to Randi Johnson, financial director for the district, the estimated first year cost for 6,000 square-feet off site would be about $174,695. Yearly expense would be about $66,000. The first year impact number could change for leased off-site space if extensive renovations and upgrades are required. For portables, a 2,000 sq.ft., two classroom option would cost about $150,560 for the first year and $23,160 for the following years. A five classroom portable option would cost about $302,580 for the first year and about $38,000 for the ensuing years. Additional costs included in the one-time fees would be foundations for portables, finding space in fields and parking lots, then relocating those resources around schools, and connecting portables to the main buildings power and water supplies, said Dan Moll, an architect with ATS&R, a firm that has worked with the school district for many years. Johnson said the first year the money would have to be paid up front by the school district because tax money would not come in until the following year. Johnson reminded the board and residents that if the levy referendum had passed in the fall, the state would have picked up a significant chunk ñ up to 70 percent ñ of the total costs. Now, if the referendum would not pass if it is presented a third time, 100 percent of the cost of any decision would come from taxpayers, Johnson said. The maximum the school board could levy to make improvements to the schools space problems would be about $450,000, Johnson said. Stepaniak said whatever option is chosen must be able to answer immediate needs at the schools for the 2002-2003 school year and serve the district for about five years. ìIt will not do us any good to go with something that will do good for one year and be back here next year dealing with the same issue,î Stepaniak said. ìWeíre at the point where weíre going to have to Band-Aid some things,î Stepaniak said. ©ECM Post Review |