School district facilities study brings praise and concerns

By HANS IBOLD
Express Staff Writer

A comprehensive study of Blaine County school facilities indicates that the district’s effort at upkeep is exceptionally good, but that in five years the district will be close to capacity and that some sites are already in need of improvement.

The study, completed by the Matrix Group, an educational facility planning and management group, was presented to the Blaine County School District board on Thursday night.

School facilities are receiving increasing attention across the state, as teachers and parents clamor for structures that do not interfere with the welfare or education of children.

According to the Matrix Group study, the impact of school facilities on the educational process is significant. Aside from potential health and safety issues, students in modern, well-equipped schools score 6 to 11 percentile points higher than students in dilapidated, outdated schools, according to research cited by the Matrix Group.

"Although somewhat subjective, it is a commonly held belief that a pleasant, inviting environment creates conditions that help motivate students to learn," the study reports.

Across the Blaine County School District, no structures pose an immediate threat to children’s education or welfare, but the study identified several areas that need attention.

The study suggests that while classroom space is adequate district-wide, specialized learning spaces—such as those devoted to music, art or tutoring—generally suffer from inadequate room.

"This is especially troubling in light of research that indicates that these programs are factors in improving student achievement in other academic areas," the study reports.

The study concludes that current buildings in the district get the job done. However, it warns that they will not be suitable in the near future as educational programs become more closely linked with technology, as the demographics of the community change and as the student population continues to grow.

The study points out that an increasing ethnic diversity in Blaine County will have to be addressed. Participation in the Learning English Proficiency program (LEP), for example, has rocketed. Approximately 10 percent of the district’s student population is currently non-English speaking. That figure is a 140 percent increase from the 1993-1994 school year.

Other recommendations in the Matrix Group study include:

Redesign pedestrian services at Hailey Elementary.

Provide additional parking at Hemingway Elementary, which is congested by the vehicles of the many parent aides. The district owns four lots across from the school that should be converted to parking.

Remove portables from Bellevue Elementary and redesign this area.

Increase parking capacity at Wood River High School.

Pave and re-define the parking area at the Carey School and redesign the entire site to accommodate a K-12 configuration.

The Matrix group study had nothing but high praise for the new Middle School.

"The study is right on," said Blaine County School District superintendent Phil Homer. "There were no surprises. This is just the beginning."

Homer’s successor, Jim Lewis, said the district will be making an effort to involve the Wood River Valley community as the district begins to take action on the study.

"We want to form a committee of citizens, teachers and students that will assess our community," said superintendent-elect Lewis. "From that we will develop a vision for the next four or five years. We’ll be working with the community to make that vision a reality."