ELY – The Ely School District Community Task Force “schemed and dreamed” at their second of several meetings to discuss options for a proposed facilities improvement and renovation project.

Officials with Architectural Resources, Inc. (ARI) are moderating a group of 15 community stakeholders and school staff to help make a recommendation to school board members to consider for an improvement and modernization plan for the three buildings that make up the campus of ISD 696.

With a $500,000 state grant to add security and safety features to the building, such as having one monitored school-day entrance to the campus and possibly connecting all three buildings for added safety and security, taxpayers in the Ely school district will likely be asked to approve a bonding referendum as early as this fall to help finance the project.

ARI designer Katie Hildenbrand and architect Kevin Piron asked the group to think about what they would like to see for improvements throughout the school buildings.

“Today we are looking at the big picture,” Hildenbrand said. “It is important that as we think and dream big, that we come back with a plan that makes some sense.”

Illustrations showing comparisons of feedback from various brainstorming sessions were similar in their conclusions. Teachers and faculty and community-member priorities were both highlighted by a need for improved common areas and flexible spaces in the school buildings, safety and security on the campus, and the need for more gymnasium space for students and the community to use. Size and use of classrooms, and the cafeteria and kitchen area were also identified by both groups as areas of needed improvements.

“The top three priorities are pretty clear,” Piron said. “A commons area for students to gather and the need for more flexible spaces for learning, more gymnasium space or another gymnasium, along with improved safety and security features are all very close to the top of the lists of priorities. We are starting to see some areas of direction.”

Hildenbrand and Piron also with a group of eighth-grade students to gain insight into their priorities.

Hildenbrand summarized their discussions into a list that included more windows and natural light in the classrooms; more wi-fi and electronics outlets (even in every locker!); added privacy in the bathrooms and locker rooms; more gymnasium space; an enlarged cafeteria with more food choices; a swimming pool; running track; more band room space; a nurse in the elementary building; and adding newer books in the library with more computer space.

In discussing the take-aways from the priority lists presented, task force members broke into small groups. Community member Celia Domich spoke for her group, saying they were “a bit uncomfortable” with where the priorities stood. “In our minds, the safety and security (aspect) should be much higher on the list,” she said.

K-5 Principal Anne Oelke said her group concluded that usable community space is important. “Having adaptable spaces to switch around as space needs change from year to year should be doable. Enrollment is always changing and we need to adapt,” Oelke said.

Task force members looked at several examples of recent renovations completed by ARI at area schools. They discussed the modernizing of old school spaces rather than building brand new structures. “Subtle changes, like adding natural light, maybe enlarging some spaces, adding new colors and freshening up the walls and adding new equipment can sometimes make a big difference,” Hildenbrand said.

Financing options and the cost of making improvements to the Ely school buildings will be discussed by the community task force at their next meeting set for March 11.

A consensus by the group could possibly be reached by April 1, and a recommendation will be made this spring to the school board for their consideration.