Panel: More space needed
<p>Students flood a hallway of River City Middle School Friday. With enrollment to increase by 50 students next year, the school is facing challenges caused by crowded classrooms and in adequate facilities.</p>
<p>Amy Lynn’s 7th grade advisory class which consists of 33 studentds reads in the beginning of class Friday at River City Middle School. River City staff and students have to deal with crowded classrooms and inadequate facilities with enrollment increasing by 50 more students next year.</p>
The Post Falls School District has a backlog of facility needs that a committee has recommended the district address as soon as possible.
A 28-member committee of citizens, parents and school staff members met twice to review the district's 2008 long-range facility plan and determined that those needs from six years ago have increased today.
"There was clear agreement that because the district was unable to enact the 2008 recommendations during the past six years that the district was significantly behind schedule related to its larger facility needs," the committee report states.
"As a result of the economic downturn and the various effects on our district, including slower student enrollment growth, the plan was basically put on hold, with the exception of the joint venture with the Lakeland and Coeur d'Alene school districts and the business to build the (Kootenai Technical Education Campus that opened in 2012)."
The committee determined that a second-story classroom addition and kitchen expansion at River City Middle School, adding a performing arts auditorium and auxiliary gym at Post Falls High and another elementary school be pursued as soon as possible.
The school board will hear a report Monday night on the committee's findings. The board is not expected to take action on the plan Monday.
Jerry Keane, district superintendent, said the earliest the district would likely be in a position to seek funding for any project would be spring 2015.
"The district could run a bond levy in either August or November of 2014," he said. "However, I would not recommend that based on the district's ability to raise funds in the spring of 2015 without raising (existing) taxes and the ability to do a good job communicating the proposal - whatever it may be."
The committee's recommendations are based on using a 1.5 percent annual growth rate in student enrollment, which the group believes is a conservative figure in a rebounding economy.
The River City project, estimated to cost $4 million, was recommended to take place as early as the 2010-11 school year, according to the 2008 plan.
Larger classes expected to enter the school, some teachers using supply carts while going from classroom to classroom and the school using two portable classrooms are reasons for the project, the committee report states. RCMS is expected to have 50 more students next year.
River City was built to accommodate a second story on the west wing.
The total estimated cost to add a performing arts auditorium and auxiliary gym - two separate projects at Post Falls High - is $4.5 million. The 2008 plan recommended the projects be built as soon as possible.
"These projects are even more critical today than in 2008 because of the extension of the timeline to build a second high school in the district," the committee report states. "At 1.5 percent growth, it appears that the district will not need to consider constructing a second high school until at least 2020."
PFHS was designed to have a performing arts auditorium built on the west side of the commons using the existing stage.
The district owns 60 acres at the northwest corner of Prairie Avenue and McGuire Road and 10 acres on the east side of the Fieldstone subdivision near Greensferry Road and Poleline Avenue for future schools.
Keane said the 10 acres could be used for an elementary, while the 60 acres could be used for a third middle school and second high school as needed.
The committee said the need for another elementary school, estimated to cost $10 million, has increased in recent years with overcrowding at Prairie View and Ponderosa.
"If the district started construction in 2015, the school would be available for student occupation in the fall of 2016," the report states.
Other recommendations include:
* Investigating moving New Vision Alternative High out of the Frederick Post building it shares with the Kindercenter to relive student crowding and leasing a separate facility for New Vision.
* Compiling a list of smaller facility projects such as replacing roofs, heating units and windows, especially at older schools, so the funding can be in conjunction with larger projects.
The bond levy - which paid for West Ridge Elementary, an eight-classroom addition at PFHS and the transportation facility upgrade - will be paid off this year, allowing the district to restructure other facility debt in 2015.
The committee recommends the district seek voter approval for a bond levy in spring 2015.
"It would be possible to construct most of the projects with a 2015 bond levy without increasing (existing) taxes," the report states. "Post Falls will be paid off in 2018 as well, thus putting the district in a strong position to consider additional needed facility projects in the future."