Committee Discusses Possible School Projects
A new facilities committee held its first meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 2, to discuss long-term and shortterm concerns regarding Wolf Point’s school buildings.
Wolf Point superintendent of schools Loverty Erickson noted that the committee’s primary concerns involve safety matters.
The group included the school district’s facilities director Shane Reed, John Bach of Interstate Engineering, parent Craig Rodenberg, activities director Eric Peterson and school board trustee Elizabeth DeCoteau Lingle, Kristopher McKoy of McKinstry Engineering and Halvor Kamrud of McKinstry Engineering.
Erickson asked committee members three questions: What do we want our organization to be in the long run? Who are we now? How are we doing?
Reed said the HVAC systems are the school district’s biggest challenge for all schools. Although some boilers have been replaced, additional needs must be addressed.
“It will shut us down in a heartbeat,” Reed said.
He also brought up the future of the Southside Elementary School building for discussion.
Bach added that the school district needs to address disability and health codes.
Rodenberg said that funding solutions need to be determined for long-term projects.
District clerk Cheri’ Nygard and McKoy mentioned funding sources to build a new school.
Erickson said if a new school building is made, it would make more sense for buildings to be divided into the grades of K-2, 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12.
“Grade eight is where we lose the most students,” Erickson said. “That’s where they’re dropping out.”
She is hopeful that the school district can “beef up” the amount of teachers and programs to keep eight graders interested in education.
Erickson noted that the committee needs to work on developing an overall masters facilities plan.
Under the question “Who we are?,” Bach noted that Wolf Point’s central location and gym facility makes it a good site for athletic tournaments.
Reed said that the locker room areas need to be updated at some point.
Nygard mentioned that the district needs to modernize classrooms.
Erickson said the school district is set to receive $7 million in ESSER, federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, for COVID-related projects.
Projects mentioned for the ESSER funds include expanding the weight room, new windows at Northside, new playground equipment at Northside and Southside, updating HVAC systems at all schools, modernizing classrooms and improving bleachers at the football field.
Trustees need to improve the building recommendations with ESSER funds.
The committee also heard a presentation from McKinstry Engineering regarding energy savings efforts.
