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Getting down to business

Ely School Board, teachers discuss facility improve

Keith Vandervort
Posted 10/25/18

ELY – With a $500,000 grant offered by the state, an architectural firm in place, and a looming deadline to develop design and cost estimates, the Ely School Board met with teachers and staff …

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Getting down to business

Ely School Board, teachers discuss facility improve

Posted

ELY – With a $500,000 grant offered by the state, an architectural firm in place, and a looming deadline to develop design and cost estimates, the Ely School Board met with teachers and staff Monday night to begin the process for updating the campus to meet modern-day educational standards.

With a designer from Architectural Resources, Inc. (ARI), of Hibbing, moderating the study session in the high school media center, about a dozen educators came prepared to discuss with school board members several areas of needed building improvements.

Superintendent Kevin Abrahamson said the meeting was the first of many anticipated as ISD 696 moves forward with a multi-million dollar facilities renovation project. This fall, the state preliminarily awarded the Ely School District $495,000 toward the connection of the three campus building through a School Safety grant program.

That amount, while generous, is likely just one-third of the estimated $1.5 million needed to connect the Memorial High School, Washington Elementary School, and Industrial Arts buildings. Adding a gymnasium and other proposed improvements could cost much more.

“While we are very grateful,” Abrahamson said, “what you need to know is that with preliminary numbers, the grant would cover 37 percent of the amount needed to connect the buildings.”

He called for discussions to focus on the building connections, location of the connections, questions about relocating, expanding, or renovating various educational areas on the campus like the band room, early education and other areas.

“We will need to have more detailed pre-design plans ready before March in order qualify for the (grant) award,” Abrahamson said. “The length of time it takes to complete the project is not as critical right now as it is getting a plan in place for those building connections.”

ARI designer Katie Hildenbrand presented a background and summary on the project. “These buildings belong to you,” she said. “You know how the spaces are used, how you are going to use the spaces, and how you educate in these spaces. It is important to hear from you.”

She suggested using the building-connection concept as a conversation starter. As far back as 2009, the Ely School Board has talked about connecting the campus buildings, some plans called for connecting the buildings on the north end, near the parking lots. Recent designs have called for connecting the buildings closer to the Industrial Arts building, and on the south ends of the Memorial and Washington buildings as a way to reduce construction costs.

Any building connection concept will require the removal of the vacant and unused heating plant building, and the rerouting of underground infrastructure and utility elements.

Hildenbrand suggested that while some learning spaces, like the elementary school media center, could be affected by connecting the buildings, the proposed building connecting corridors could be widened to accommodate learning spaces more conducive to a modern educational atmosphere.

She asked for the entire campus program to be reviewed to take a look at how all learning spaces are being used and could be changed to be used more efficiently. “Let’s not get too hooked on these concept plans at this time,” she said, and suggested the whole educational picture be taken into account.

A second phase for the school district to consider includes the addition of more gymnasium space, as well as utilizing the unused swimming pool space located on the lower level of the Memorial building. “In light of reusing existing space and not adding more square footage, how can we best use the space that is already here?” she asked.

One of the first areas of discussion involved the proposed secure entrance to be used during school hours. Abrahamson said school drop-off and pick-up procedures, using the existing front doors of both the Memorial and Washington buildings, could be maintained.

“Once the school day starts, the school would go into lock down and the one central entrance would be used,” Hildenbrand noted. “It would be a (school) visitor entrance only during the school day.”

Abrahamson added that administrative offices would need to be located and staffed at the school-day entrance. “That has to be a monitored, secured entrance,” he said. “That is a requirement of the grant. Some kind of office would have to be there. That hasn’t been determined yet.”

Teacher James Lah stressed the importance of school board members hearing the thoughts, ideas and concerns of the teachers and staff. “We want to tell you what we as professionals think has to be here, what we need and what we think the kids need. We hope we can enter this dialogue in the most positive way that we can.”

He cited the teaching staff’s opinion that the secured entrance to the school should be located between the Memorial and Washington buildings on the north end, or roughly where the vacant heating plant building is now located. “On any campus, you will see how any kids or people will avoid what is impossible to get to,” Lah said. “The main entrance should be across the front. It can be consummate with the architecture and it can be beautiful and lighted and allow movement into a commons area. The (administrative) offices can have open windows to watch everyone come in, and split left for the high school and right for the elementary school. Kids gather in a commons area at the beginning of the day. That’s the concept that I see.”

Teacher Ruth Lah added that common space could be organized in a way to centrally locate those areas that are used by the entire school. “For instance, the nurse is on the other side of (Washington) the school. There are so many things we can put together. This is an opportunity to put together things that are shared by both buildings, so everybody has equal access.”

Teacher Kelly Noble stressed the importance of the teachers and students being able to be involved in the planning process. “This is the first time we are having our voices heard, which is amazing. We need to listen to the people that are here on a day-to-day basis, the largest stakeholders, to make the best learning environment for our students.”

Board Chair Ray Marsnik pushed back on the assertion that teachers have been left out of the discussion. “When we first started out, we had the facilities improvement committee that included teachers and staff, the community and school board members,” he said. “We had good discussions. It is our job to listen to everybody.”

Teacher Tim Omerza highlighted many areas of buildings improvements that staff members were ready to present at the meeting. “I have to admit that many of us did not do a very good job last spring when (Supt. Abrahamson) started to organize the committee meetings. I don’t think we got ourselves to provide as much information as we probably should have. We have a lot of thoughts now and have tried to organize ourselves.”

Various teachers and staff individually addressed the concept of a new cafeteria and commons area, the central entrance concept, additional gymnasium space, early childhood and family education facilities, handicapped-user accessibility under the American With Disabilities Act, and the process of providing feedback to the school board as the communication and planning process moves forward.

James Lah asked Hildenbrand to provide a concept, incorporating all of the ideas and concerns presented Monday night, in time for a teachers’ meeting scheduled for Nov. 5, or some later date. “I love meeting with the (school) board. You’re great people, but I would love to meet with the faculty and you and have a dialogue about what we are saying,” he said.

Abrahamson reminded Lah that Hildenbrand and ARI work for the school board. “I don’t have any argument with that, Jim, but it has to go thru the board,” he said.

“This is a kick-off to many more meetings,” Hildenbrand said. “The process is to listen and understand. Rest assured, you don’t just get one shot at this. This is not my building. I am here to get you a space and a building that works for you.”

Ruth Lah also noted that having another discussion with the proposed Ely Regional Community Complex facility might be prudent.

“Marsnik said the board has also considered that issue. “It really hasn’t been determined if they are going to go forward with their plan. But if they are going to put up a new gymnasium, then that is something we have to think about.”

Omerza made the suggestion to the school board that a group be formed to visit some area schools that have recently gone through renovation projects to get ideas. “There are new schools out there, but I’m talking about those schools, like Mesabi East, and Little- fork, that have melded the old parts with new construction,” he said.

He also noted that the faculty looks forward to participating in more meetings with the school board, whether in a large or small group, to continue the conversation.

“I’ve heard from many people, if we are going to do this, let’s do it right,” Omerza said. “Then ask the community if they are willing to help. If it’s no, then that’s fine. If we are going to do this we want to do it the right way.”

In closing, Hildenbrand said a two-year window exists for the Safe School grant money to be spent on the facilities project. “My guess is that we need to have a final plan and concept budget in place by that March deadline.”