West Valley proposes $27.3M bond for new middle school

West Valley School will put a $27.3 million bond issue on the May 2022 ballot to purchase property, build a new middle school and renovate an older section of the existing school.

The West Valley School Board of Trustees voted unanimously to run the bond issue at a Monday meeting as a solution to accommodate continued enrollment growth.

If the 20-year bond is approved, owners of homes with an assessed value of $300,000 can expect annual taxes to increase by $579.48. The school district would also reach its bonding capacity.

West Valley is proposing to purchase between 10 and 15 acres off Stillwater Road and West Reserve Drive, to the south of Glacier High School. Additionally, the school district anticipates a 5-acre donation from the Grosswiler family, which owns the land, for a total of 20 acres, according to West Valley Superintendent Cal Ketchum

If built, sixth through eighth grade would be located at the new school, and the existing building on Farm to Market Road will become an elementary school, housing grades kindergarten through 5.

Currently, the middle-school students occupy the majority of an addition, which was built to ease overcrowding following approval of a 20-year, $6.8 million bond issue voters approved in 2013. It was the last major construction project in the district and included some remodeling of an older section of the building, where elementary grades are located.

LAST SUMMER, school staff built two classrooms, taking away playground space behind the school to keep pace with enrollment estimates before the 2020-21 school year started.

A preliminary concept by architectural firm Cushing Terrell proposes remodeling 12,300 square feet of the oldest section of the existing building, which dates back to the 1960s and demolishing roughly 7,500 square feet.

“We could add parking. It’s also the oldest part of the building that would need the most renovation,” Ketchum said.

The proposed new middle school and upgrades to the existing building are expected to accommodate up to 1,250 students over the next 15 to 20 years.

“We are currently at 800 students and climbing,” Ketchum said. “There are three or four housing developments in the works right now … so there’s going to be more and more students.”

The decision follows more than half a year of facility planning by a steering committee that worked with Cushing Terrell to come up with different ideas and concepts.

A preliminary design for the middle school building includes a learning commons; competition-sized gymnasium; music room; media room; classroom wings; science, technology, engineering and math labs; and spaces for other specialized learning, activities and community events. Outside, there would be a playfield, playground and parking. In the design, planners also outlined areas where the building could be expanded if needed in the future.

The school district is seeking more community input with a survey available at https://www.research.net/r/west-valley-school-planning.

“We are physically out of space here at West Valley,” Ketchum said. “Currently, we don’t have any room for any additional classrooms. At this particular time there is a great need for new facilities and more facilities.”

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 406-758-4431 or email hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.