By Jennifer Eisenbart
Editor
After struggling two weeks ago to get a handle on the priorities for its facility improvement plan, the Burlington Area School District took a step back Sept. 12.
In the second meeting with Nick Kent of Plunkett Raysich Architects, the School Board was asked simply to list what points are most important moving forward with the facilities planning.
This was after an Aug. 29 meeting where conversation stalled on the point of grade configuration and the board voted 4-3 to send it to the administrative committee for a recommendation.
On Sept. 12, Kent said the district had to brainstorm objectives.
“We’re going to take a little bit of a step backward to move forward,” he said.
The end product was a list of 64 different items that ranged from enough charging points for computers and data access for them to keeping the Montessori program together.
Superintendent Peter Smet said following the meeting he isn’t concerned about the step back due to the amount of information everyone is trying to digest in the process.
“It’s all part of the process,” Smet said. “We’re getting a lot of people and a lot of input.
“People need to work through a lot of information,” he added.
The list was, by purpose, exhaustive. School Board President Jim Bousman reminded the board that if an item wasn’t on the list, it wasn’t going to be a part of future discussion.
So in the end, the list got specific in many ways and contradictory in a few. Among the more specific items is making sure there are appropriate data hubs and backups available, as well as specific spaces not only for athletics and performing arts, but perhaps repurposing space for agricultural science, technical education, STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) classes and perhaps even culinary arts.
One of the largest points of contention remains Karcher Middle School. The first point made about the school is to preserve what could be still used and tear down perhaps only the oldest portion.
But later, other board members brought up that they had heard comments to the extent of tearing down the entire school. One member pointed out that during the public information sessions this summer, former district maintenance engineer Kevin Brierly had said the entire building needed to go, as everything tied together.
Karcher concerns aside, some of the main points expressed on the 12th include:
- Address special curriculum items – from the arts to STEM education – at all grade levels and make sure not to eliminate fifth-grade offering.
- Provide equal special education space at all schools.
- Balance enrollment at the various elementary schools, but keep in mind that neighborhood schools are part of the draw of the district.
- Address as many HVAC needs – including air conditioning – as possible as well as electrical needs, potential sprinkler systems and security.
- Consider repurposing space to fill various needs, as declining enrollment has left some spaces open at the high school.
- Make a designated Montessori space so that all Montessori students are together, though not necessarily in their own school or away from other students.
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