Price tags attached to school plans: Initial estimates range from to $40 million to $54 million

A Kalispell Public Schools committee continues to chip away at figuring out how the district should accommodate future elementary growth and how long each scenario would last before buildings are once again at full capacity.

The longterm facility planning committee met Wednesday as planners Steve L’Heureux of L’Heureux Page Werner and Tom Heinecke of Morrison-Maierle revisited previously discussed scenarios and introduced two new variations.

This time, each scenario had capacity projections for elementary buildings based on an assumption that enrollment grows by 2 percent annually. Scenarios involving a new middle school also factored in that Somers Middle School students would be attending that facility.

Preliminary costs associated with new construction, plus remodeling and covering deferred maintenance at the existing elementary and middle schools, also were shared, prefaced by Heinecke’s emphasis that the amounts are based on limited information and are not concrete.

“The whole idea was to get a handle on the costs, but it’s really important to remember that right now it’s really early in the process,” Heinecke said.

After hearing capacity and cost projections, Superintendent Mark Flatau asked participants to each pick their top three choices.

The most favored of the 10 proposals also received the most votes at the last facility planning committee meeting.

This proposal entails building a new first- through fifth-grade building and a new sixth- through eighth-grade building and remodeling an existing elementary building into an early childhood center for pre-kindergarten and kindergarten.

This option would give the district breathing room before reaching full capacity estimated to occur after 2030 and possibly 2034, L’Heureux said. Preliminary costs — including remodeling elementary schools and the middle school — may be around $45.3 million.

The second option that received a lot of votes calls for building a new first- through eighth-grade school, and remodeling an existing elementary into an early childhood center. In this scenario, the district may not see full capacity until after 2030. Costs associated with new construction and remodeling are estimated at $40.5 million.

Although pre-kindergarten and kindergarten are still optional for families, there is growing support from Gov. Steve Bullock to provide early childhood education funding for all. Several elementary principals at the meeting said there is a definite need for quality, preschool education programs. They also agreed that the data is there to support the benefits of early childhood education.

Preschool is currently provided in public schools on a limited basis to qualifying students with disabilities. A limited number of students without disabilities may pay tuition to enroll at Kalispell’s preschool program and there is a waiting list of 15 to 20 children, according to Edgerton Elementary Principal Merisa Murray.

One parent spoke up about her struggle to find a quality full-time program for her child this year. Without any luck she, like many others, placed her child in day care.

Two options tied for third in what committee members would like to see the district explore. One proposes building a new kindergarten- through fifth-grade building and a new sixth- through eighth-grade building. This scenario was projected to reach capacity by 2020. Planners suggest it could cost $45.2 million.

The other option, presented for the first time, is a variation of the top choice.

It proposes building a new early childhood education center (rather than remodel an existing elementary building), a new first- through fifth-grade building and a new sixth- through eighth-grade building, all on the district’s 25-acre Airport Road property.

Past discussions concluded the property would be suitable for two elementary buildings. L’Heureux said it would be a tight fit and buildings would probably have to be built taller rather than wider.

This option would provide the most time before reaching full capacity by 2038, L’Heureux estimated. This plan would cost an estimated $54.1 million.

One factor that would boost operational costs once a new building was opened is if Somers-Lakeside sixth- through eighth-graders end up attending a new middle school in Kalispell.

Due to an aging facility, Somers-Lakeside administrators have been talking with Kalispell officials since Kalispell purchased the land on Airport Road.

Some of the most urgent Somers-Lakeside needs are being addressed through a $185,000 per year levy that voters there approved in May.

While Somers-Lakeside taxpayers would not contribute to building a new Kalispell school, there would be ongoing revenue in the form of state funding for each additional student going to Kalispell Public Schools.

Somers-Lakeside Superintendent Paul Jenkins estimates sending 53 sixth-graders and 119 seventh- and eighth-graders to Kalispell, which translates to approximately $1,013,537 in state funding. Additionally, tuition could be charged that would may generate $60,200.

While it wouldn’t cover all operational costs, it is “a fairly significant revenue stream,” Flatau said, that could help overcome challenges of funding a new school once it’s opened.

While Jenkins said he sees it as a win-win situation overall, there are some drawbacks such as the fact that Somers-Lakeside School District would lose students and funding. The careers of about 12 teachers also would have to be considered.

The committee has been meeting since June. The next facility planning committee meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Jan. 9 in the Glacier High School conference room. At that meeting, the high schools will be addressed.

Hilary Matheson is a reporter for The Daily Inter Lake. She may be reached at 758-4431 or hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.