by Logan Gruber
operations@thenewsleaders.com
“At the elementary level, whether resident or non-resident growth, we can’t keep up with our current growth,” Dr. Daniel Bittman, superintendent of Sauk Rapids-Rice schools said at the Nov. 23 school board meeting, held at the District Office Board Room at Sauk Rapids-Rice High School.
The school board has been in the process of looking at school population projections and determining possible facility options in regard to a 10-year plan since January of this year. At the Nov. 23 school board meeting, Paul Youngquist, architect at Rego and Youngquist, presented an updated facilities study for the board to comment on.
“We’ve revised the enrollment projections to four percent growth in Rice’s school and 12 percent growth in schools in Sauk Rapids,” Youngquist noted, beginning his presentation.
The presentation focused on elementary and pre-K buildings, as the projections indicate the middle school and high school will be able to support the population until at least the year 2025.
One consideration was whether legislators would make pre-K mandatory. It was factored into the projections that at some point in the next decade pre-K would be made mandatory statewide.
“If we had a crystal ball to know what the legislature would do with 4-year-olds, that would help a lot,” Board Member Tracy Morse added.
Here are the current enrollments of each school, followed by the predicted enrollments in 2024-25 and then the suggested capacity.
Elementary Schools (K-5)
Rice – 2015-16: 335 students, 2024-25: 378 students, capacity: 348
Pleasantview – 2015-16: 740 students, 2024-25: 822 students, capacity: 695
Mississippi Heights – 2015-16: 935 students, 2024-25: 1,044 students, capacity: 891
Total elementary – 2015-16: 2,010 students, 2024-25: 2,244 students, capacity: 1,934
Middle School (6-8)
2015-16: 1003 students, 2024-25: 1,120 students, capacity: 1,281
High School (9-12)
2015-16: 1,315 students, 2024-25: 1,473 students, capacity: 1,515
Entire District
2015-16: 4,328 students, 2024-25: 4,837 students, capacity: 4,730
Other – Hillside
Early Childhood – 2015-16: 307 students, 2024-25: 342 students, capacity: 330
Pre-School – 2015-16: 180 students, 2024-25: 350 students, capacity: 220
Adult Basic Education – 2015-16: 280 students, 2024-25: 400 students, capacity: 280
Alternative Learning Center – 2015-16: 80 students, 2014-25: 90 students, capacity: N/A
Options
Younquist then presented a series of options to the board, which are all open to being adjusted, changed or scrapped in favor of different options. Youngquist’s purpose is to get the board and community considering how to face the space challenge that will be present in the district within the next decade.
The first option presented was to add-on to each school as needed. This would include an expansion at Hillside for Adult Basic Education, pre-school and early childhood; an increase in Pleasantview capacity to 822 K-5 students by building extra classrooms; and an increase in Mississippi Heights capacity to 1,044 K-5 students by building classrooms.
Option two was to create a new early childhood center for all pre-K students, except for those in Rice. This option would include expanding ABE into the vacated space at Hillside; constructing a new early childhood center for the 692 pre-K students; increasing Pleasantview’s capacity to 822 K-5 students; and increasing Mississippi Heights capacity to 1,044 K-5th students.
Option three would create a new early childhood center for all pre-K and Kindergarten students. This option would include expanding ABE into the vacated space at Hillside; constructing a new early childhood center for the 1,003 pre-K and Kindergarten students; Pleasantview to remain as is and be used for 685 first- to fifth-grade students; and Mississippi Heights to remain as is and be used for 870 first- to fifth-grade students.
Option four creates a fourth elementary school in the district for pre-K through grade 5. This option would include expanding ABE into the vacated space at Hillside; constructing a new pre-K through grade 5 school for 972 students; Pleasantview to remain as is and be used for 695 pre-K through grade 5 students; and Mississippi Heights to remain as is and be used for 891 pre-K through grade 5 students.
Option five would locate all early childhood programs at Pleasantview and build a new K-5 building. This option would include expanding ABE into the vacated space at Hillside; use Pleasantview as a pre-K school for 692 students; construct a new K-5 school for 886 students, and Mississippi Heights to remain as is and be used for 891 pre-K through grade 5 students.
Bittman brought up another possibility, of evening out the populations of the elementary schools to about 622 per school with the building of a new elementary school.
These options do not deal with any security, cafeteria or recreation issues. At the moment, the goal is to find a solution for space and then build other needs around that solution.
“We are not in crisis mode,” Bittman said. “We are strategically planning for what we will need in the future. We have updated the community through our website, the local newspapers and radio to keep things transparent . . . we are open to all options.”
Bittman said the board is not trying to convince anyone of anything, and wants as much input as possible.
How to help
A community group will come together to talk about and evaluate options at three two-hour meetings, one each in January, February and March. Then, the group will make a recommendation in June to the school board on how to proceed. The board would like to see as many people as possible involved, as long as they can commit to the meetings.
To be part of the community group or for more information on the facility study, head to www.isd47.org/aboutsrr/facilities-study. Applications will be accepted through the Christmas holiday.
