Board member Steve Snyder gave the Facilities Committee report at the Lanesboro school board meeting on March 15. “Our number one focus is classroom and school safety,” he said.
Presenting an aerial map of the school and surrounding areas, Snyder outlined the proposed improvements and additions to the school that the Facilities Committee has recommended.
The architect from HSR Associates, the firm working with the Lanesboro school district, was able to meet with many of the teachers to get their input on what the needs are at the school. Several of the teachers were present at the board meeting and agreed that it had been a really great opportunity.
One of the first things Snyder pointed out on the map was a proposed new entrance for the school. It would funnel visitors through the office to check in before being able to access the rest of the building and would be the only entrance unlocked during school hours. The rest of the exterior doors are old and would need to be replaced as well to increase security. Snyder also mentioned that none of the interior doors in the school can be locked from the inside, which would be a safety concern if there was ever an intruder in the school. “Safety is one of our top priorities,” he said.
The engineers and architects collaborating on the proposals suggested adding on to the side of the school next to the elementary library. That could be used to house the daycare, bringing it over from the high school end of the building.
Another improvement that the Facilities Committee would like to see is the addition of a second indoor gym and play area so kids can stay active even during inclement weather. There would also be the possibility of having it open to the public at times. Board member Dave Lawstuen pointed out that having a second gym would make it so two practices could take place at a time instead of one team having to wait until the first is finished to start their practice, allowing them to be home earlier in the evening.
One of the items on the top of the list is to modernize and update the high school side of the school, as not much has changed there since it was built in 1959. Updating would make it more conducive to collaborative and flexible learning opportunities. “We’re always trying to prepare our kids and give them the opportunities so that when they move on, they’re prepared,” Snyder noted. The committee would like to move the cafeteria next to the kitchen and turn it into a big open space with lots of lighting that could also be used for independent study.
Superintendent Schultz presented four different levels of estimates for the project to the board. The lowest level, involving the least amount of renovations and updates to the school would be around four million dollars with each level increasing the work and costs all the way up to eight million. Tax bonding would help cover those costs, but he pointed out that even at the highest level of bonding, the project would only add about $97 a year per $100,000 for taxpayers. Currently, homeowners in the Lanesboro district pay approximately $130 a year per $100,000 of income. Schultz compared that to other area districts and found that the next lowest one is over $160 more than that. Even if the project is bonded at the highest level, Lanesboro homeowners will still pay less annually than homeowners in other districts.
Ruen asked what the timeline was for the project. Schultz said he would have more information on that after the upcoming meeting with the facilities committee. He is hoping to be able to hold a community meeting to get feedback from the public within the next month or so. “Our goal is to have a project we all believe in,” he said.
The board thanked Snyder for his update on the proposed school renovations project.
Superintendent Schultz gave his report to the board. He is planning to start the process of applying for the Minnesota Twins Field of Dreams grant for the baseball field in early May and will be applying for the Monsanto grant again.
Schultz also gave an update on the progress made on improving school safety. “Last summer, the Health and Safety committee reinvented itself,” he noted. “They did a phenomenal job revamping our entire safety manual.” The committee put together “go bags” that are hung inside the door of each room in the school. The bags contain emergency supplies that a teacher can grab on the way out the door in case of evacuation or emergencies. “The most important thing we can do for safety in our school is to build connections with kids and their families, and I think we do a really good job of that,” Schultz concluded.
A resignation letter from girls basketball coach James Semmen was accepted with appreciation to Semmen for his time.
A donation from POET BioRefining in the amount of $3,000 for STEM literacy was accepted with gratitude.
The next Lanesboro school board meeting will be held on April 19 at 7 p.m.
Leave a Reply