WEDA members quiz PSD about Wellington schools

By Gary Raham
Wellington Correspondent

Members of the Wellington Economic Development Association took an interest in local schools, quizzing representatives of Poudre School District invited to a July 6 meeting.

WEDA stepped in to continue a dialogue begun this past spring. PSD brought the written comments made by area residents during April's forum, which looked at several possible growth options to be studied both by PSD and a yet-to-be-formed Wellington community planning group. The goal is to present a well-considered building proposal to the school board in November or December.

Mike Spearnak, PSD construction manager, admitted that the district was "behind schedule," but also pointed out that building schools is, by necessity, a reactionary process. Enough students must be in place to make running a new school economically possible, he said.

This usually means new schools should be at 70 to 80 percent capacity when they open. Some schools, in fact, are planned to operate at a potential 120 percent capacity by having big enough core facilities--like a media center and cafeteria--that could serve additional students housed in portable classrooms for a year or two when necessary.

Demographer Shannon Bingham fielded questions about the magnitude of growth from real estate broker Lou Kinzli and WEDA chairman Doug Andersen. Andersen pointed out that Wellington already had 140 housing permits for the first half of 2004. Kinzli said that rising interest rates might change how often families change homes, which could in turn impact demographic estimates. Bingham, however, stuck to previous figures he had cited indicating that Wellington would see about 180 new homes this year and that each home typically has 0.58 school-age children.

Bingham said that rising land costs are one of the biggest problems for school planners. Raw land costs might range from $20,000 per acre 2 to 4 miles east of Interstate 25 and escalate to $90,000 per acre in the foothills. Districts must look ahead far enough to get good land prices while peering through a crystal ball clearly enough to see where heavy residential growth will occur. The goal is to build community schools where transportation issues don't create problems, he said.

School site requirements can be complex and must meet community needs and state requirements for safety. Land has to be relatively flat; the soil has to be able to support 4,000 pounds per square inch. It can't be on a landfill or have hazardous waste issues, can't be too near open water and must have utilities available. PSD also desires campuses of certain sizes: 12 acres for elementary, 27 to 40 acres for a junior high and 60 to 100 acres for a high school.

Of the Wellington school options discussed in April, community members preferred one (scenario red) that would build a new junior high at some undetermined location and create a split campus elementary school using Eyestone and the existing Wellington Junior High building. This scenario was also ranked first in a straw poll of WEDA members.

Comments at the April meeting, however, show that at least some people --including several elementary teachers--have misgivings about this option. "As a sixth grade teacher, I really dislike scenario red," one teacher said. "I feel that a school of 900 students on a split campus will not be a community school." Another asked, "How would library resources be shared? You can't just divide the books by reading level. We have sixth graders that need second grade books and first graders that need fourth grade books. Would we get staffing to staff two libraries all day long?"

Scenario blue would build a new elementary school, probably in or near one of the new developments southwest or southeast of central Wellington, and the current junior high would be expanded to accommodate 150 to 175 additional students. One participant at the April meeting favored scenario blue, but with a building even farther south "to accommodate the large enrollments at both Eyestone and Tavelli."

Scenario green, which would build a new elementary, convert WJH to seventh and eighth grade, and send the ninth grade to high school, has its proponents as well, although many conceded that some sort of districtwide restructuring of education for older students would be needed. There are also those who would like to see a unique junior high/high school campus for the town.

Bingham and Andersen discussed growth beyond the current crisis. What do people want Wellington to look like in 50 years? What safety and transportation issues should be addressed related to the existence of a railroad and major interstate highway transecting the community? Buildings are designed to last 30 to 35 years, but it's not uncommon to see schools still in use after 50 to 55 years. What PSD builds today will be around for some time and will inevitably impact the future growth dynamic of the area.

Alicia Durand and John Carbula, principals at Wellington Junior High (568-3944) and Eyestone Elementary (568-3963), respectively, will be making recommendations soon for Wellington's planning group. The group will be kept small for efficiency but will include diverse opinions. The planning group will get under way this fall.

WEDA plans to keep asking questions of particular interest to the business community. Andersen said he doesn't want Wellington to be "an afterthought" but an active participant in any school development action taken by PSD.

Andersen can be reached at 568-0456 for those wanting more information about the organization, which meets the first Tuesday of each month at 7:30 a.m.