School expansion discussion begins
School expansion discussion begins
By STU MERRY
Members of the Garrison School Board Building and Grounds Committee, along with administrators Steve Brannan and Shelly Fuller, and maintenance supervisor Doug Gienger, put pencil to paper Tuesday night. Their mission is to determine what suggestions should be given priority when it comes to improvements to the high school and elementary school buildings.
School officials are advancing a new proposal for a future bond issue. But deciding what amenities should be added is the first order of business.
At last week’s regular school board meeting, architect Wayne Whitty, of Anderson, Wade & Whitty Architects, PC, Minot, presented options for each building. The key is a plan that would be palatable to district patrons.
Whitty threw out an idea for a $5 million bond option. The plan includes 4,400 square feet of new construction at the elementary and includes two classrooms, a faculty workroom with restrooms and a new student toilet facility. It would require relocation of the portable classroom.
At the high school campus, Whitty proposed adding a new ag. ed. shop area, kitchen, library, dining and commons area. The space utilized would be in the courtyard to the back of the school. No mechanical upgrades were included in the price.
Committee members said there are three priorities – additional classrooms, filling in the courtyard and ag. ed. classroom expansion.
The committee, which includes Karla Scheresky, Bonnie Nygard and Lora Wilson, and administrators, wrestled with what should be done. One concern was that too much space was designated to expanding the ag. ed. room.
“When we talked about this seven years ago … we thought ag. would be something to sell the project,” Brannan said.
