By Dave Fidlin
CORRESPONDENT
An outside consulting firm with expertise in designing learning spaces has been hired by the Waterford Graded School District, following a decision this week.
The School Board on Aug. 23 minted an agreement with architects Plunkett Raysich. The Milwaukee-based firm has been retained to study short- and long-term facilities needs, primarily at Fox River Middle School.
Superintendent Ed Brzinski brought Plunkett Raysich representatives into the fold because the educational environment is changing rapidly through technology and other methods.
A recently administered community survey revealed a majority of residents throughout the district believed Fox River lacked the infrastructure to accommodate a 21st Century learning environment.
“I’m very confident with the approach they have,” Brzinski said of Plunkett Raysich at the district’s Buildings and Grounds Committee meeting early this month. “It’s a good strategy.”
Although it works in a variety of sectors, Plunkett Raysich has a long history of working with school districts by designing learning spaces, said Scott Kramer, who heads the company’s so-called education studio.
The company has worked with Waterford Graded before, dating back 20 years ago when a successful referendum yielded a number of building projects as the population in and near Waterford swelled.
In the 1950s, Plunkett Raysich also worked with the Waterford Union High School district for some of its long-range planning efforts. On the municipal side, PRA worked with the Village of Waterford in designing its newest fire station.
In this early stage of Waterford Graded’s revived look at its facilities, Plunkett Raysich is going to develop a seven-point master plan that outlines the district’s options in the years ahead.
“You’ll have a road map and have a list to pick through,” Kramer said of the end product.
Initial stages include a room-by-room analysis of the schools and offering possible changes, based on students’ educational needs today. The data-gathering phase includes peering into enrollment trends and gathering cost estimates.
Further down the line, Kramer said the company will hold community listening sessions and lay out the options available to the district, which could include going to referendum if the scope of work is substantial.
Throughout the analysis, Kramer said Plunkett Raysich’s architects will look at options through the lens of sustainability, though there is a caveat. Any of the company’s recommendations, he said, would require a short payback period of about five years.
Plans call for Plunkett Raysich to deliver a comprehensive report to the board when all of its fact-finding efforts are complete.
At this week’s meeting, board members asserted the agreement with Plunkett Raysich is exploratory at this point. No firm decisions have been made about changes to Fox River or any other schools within the district.
“This is the board doing its due diligence,” board member Matt Kranich said, pointing to the community survey. “This is the next logical step for us.”
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