District facilities options identified
Task force also OKs architect
Published Tuesday, January 9, 2007
The task force in charge of coming up with a facilities solution took two steps forward when it named architect A T S and R and construction manager RA Morton as the firms to proceed with facilities planning. It also outlined four facilities options.
A T S and R is based in the Twin Cities and RA Morton hails from Sauk Rapids.
With approval of the resolution and options, district officials hope to form concrete plans for new or renovated facilities as a response to declining enrollment. They also come with the blessing of the 20-plus-member task force, made up of members of the community interested in preserving the district.
The four options will be discussed in further detail in Superintendent Jerry Ness’s column in The Journal on Wednesday, as well as at the next task force meeting Jan. 17.
At a glance
• Option “A” breaks the grade levels into grades 1-2 at Adams Elementary; grades 3-4 at Cleveland, with an addition to the building; pre-kindergarten and kindergarten at McKinley; a continuation of grades 5-8 at the middle school and grades 9-12 at the high school. But option “A-1” allows for renovations at the high school while option “A-2” proposes both some addition and some demolition at the high school.
• Option “B” houses grades 7-12 in seperate wings and using different schedules at the middle school, with an addition leading to the newer, vocational wing at the high school, plus an addition at the middle school and some combination of addition/demolition/renovation at the high school for vocational technology, the area learning center, and athletics. However, option “B-1” breaks the grades down into 1-2 at Adams, pre-K through K at McKinley and grades 3-6 at Cleveland with an addition to the building. And option “B-2” gives Adams grades K-1, McKinley would house pre-K and Community Education and Cleveland would have grades 2-6 with an addition to the building.
The second step forward, approved Monday night, named architect ATS&R and construction manager RA Morton as the firms to proceed with facilities planning in District 544 with the intent that the district will work with them on the project, Superintendent Jerry Ness said.
The next task force meeting is from 5-6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 17, in the Middle School Media Center.
In other school news:
• After a bit of a learning curve amidst new titles, the District 544 School Board got off to business as usual at their first regular meeting of the year.
Matthew Lemke was named chairman of the board Monday night, replacing Doug Koch, who unsuccessfully ran for re-election. Lemke, who previously served as vice chair, stumbled a few times on parliamentary procedure but was otherwise equipped to the task. Melanie Cole replaced Lemke as vice chair.
New member Darrel Tungseth was named as treasurer as Stacey Woods did not seek re-election to the board.
Tarma Carlson took up the reins as clerk from Tom Kummrow though Kummrow began a roll call as force of habit before being reminded it was no longer his duty.
Steve Stenerson also did not claim an office but was named to the Finance and Buildings and Grounds committees Monday night. Other board members swapped or kept their committee posts as well.
• The Fergus Falls High School marching band was invited to another International Lions Parade, held this summer in Chicago. Last year’s first-place honor won them the right to perform, Director Scott Kummrow said. The board will take action on the trip next Monday.
• After three years of no increase, the board approved a $25 per-month pay raise. For the past year, members received a $350-per-month salary.
Kummrow reasoned that if no increase was given for several years, a hike might seem unreasonable, and it was best to keep the raises incremental. School board members will now be paid $375 each month.
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