Board to decide on building swap in December

Posted 11/29/22

PRESCOTT – The Prescott School Board will decide next month if it endorses a plan to swap the occupants of two of its buildings. The board has heard ideas from administration over the last few …

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Board to decide on building swap in December

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PRESCOTT – The Prescott School Board will decide next month if it endorses a plan to swap the occupants of two of its buildings.

The board has heard ideas from administration over the last few months to move grades 6-8 to what is now Malone Intermediate School (1220 St. Croix St.) and send grades 4-5 to what is now the Prescott Middle School building (125 Elm St. N.)

Superintendent Dr. Rick Spicuzza said that previous facility studies have recommended that change, and that the present intermediate school is larger, newer and better suited for the three upper grades.

“We have a wonderful building that can serve and host over four grades that currently is enrolling only two grades,” said Spicuzza.

If the board commits to making the change, planning for whether it would happen for the 2023-24 school year or 2024-25 would kick into high gear. Spicuzza said the move could take place for the coming year with minimal expense. Long-term though, STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) classroom space would need to be planned, as would where the school maintenance department, which occupies for former shop area in the former high school building, would move.

“Really what it is coming down to is a pivot of trying to put the right amount of kids in the right buildings,” said Spicuzza. “The middle school facility as it stands is a good, viable educational environment but probably is better situated for two grades.”

Total costs weren’t put together, other than a moving estimate of $40,000 and new lockers which would be needed for grades 6-8 at a cost of about $120,000.

The board asked to see numbers for a bare bones move of the classes to decide if it’s ready to move forward with the change. After that, administration can work with architects and Market & Johnson, which is overseeing the infrastructure maintenance projects that were included in the $15 million referendum passed by voters in the spring, to put together complete numbers, including STEM rooms.

He said that the planning should take place soon, because the district is already doing asbestos abatement and bringing some vacant former science rooms in the intermediate school down to bare walls as part of the referendum project. Also, technology upgrades need to be done at buildings in coming years.

While final expense numbers weren’t offered, Spicuzza said the district has $1.2 million in its capital project fund that it has set aside over the last several years. Also, the district has a fund balance of $6.4 million, and it could earmark up to about $2 million of that and still stay within district policy that directs that money.

“We believe we could stay within board policy,” he said.

There also is money in this year’s budget for furniture upgrades ($120,000) and in the district maintenance budget for projects ($129,456).

He said there would be significant savings to the district if they know if rooms that need to be stripped in the intermediate building will be used for science in the future.

“As we move forward, when we deconstruct these rooms, we’d be able to do that while we have construction people onsite and leverage the dollars as best we can,” he said.

He said the school maintenance vehicles and equipment could move to the district building on Young Street, which would need to have heating installed to allow for winter work.

Board members were looking for more specific costs on the overall plan, but Spicuzza said that architects and builders want to know if the board is committed to the move first.

“I want to know the cost of what we need to do. This is not answering that,” said Steve Sizemore.

“Your architects and project managers don’t want to make projections unless it’s something they’re going to be doing,” said Spicuzza.

After lengthy discussion, it was agreed the board will act on whether they support the building switch, and they will be provided with bare minimum expense numbers.

“We need a general cost,” said Board President Mike Matzek. “What’s the bare minimum to move. What do you absolutely have to have to move grades 6, 7 and 8 to the intermediate school?”

Middle school principal Kyle Igou said that with the exception of STEM space, which couldn’t feasibly be ready for August 2023, the change would be fairly simple.

“We could move tomorrow and run our classes very similar to now,” he said.

Spicuzza added, “We can functionally perform and do a move with 6, 7 and 8, and there’s a host of benefits. A fully viable stem room would not be conceivable by summer of 2023. It would take a year of planning and ordering.”

If the board approves a declaration for the building switch at the Dec. 21 meeting, then planning could get underway, and a decision would be made at a future meeting on if it could happen by August 2023.