Q: What grades will use the new school?

A: The new elementary school will bring together students and staff from two schools, West Side Elementary and John Cline Elementary. The new elementary school will serve preschool through second grade students.

 

Q: What measures will be taken to keep our new school safe and secure?

A: Safety is a top priority and will be built into both the design and the operating procedures of the facility. Controlled access points, secure hallways, and well-planned egress routes—such as through classroom wings—will help ensure student and staff safety. Ancillary spaces like restrooms, concessions, and the lobby will be easily accessible without compromising security. After school hours, classrooms and small group areas will be locked to prevent unauthorized access. Designated entry points, staff supervision, and clear event protocols will help maintain a secure environment during events.

 

Q. Will there be a path from the North Alley area to the high school through the campus?
A: No, for safety reasons the playground areas will be closed during school hours and the public will not be welcome to walk through. The campus will be open to the community outside of school hours. Please note, there will be sidewalks that can be followed around the west side of the school property which will lead to the high school. 

 

 

Q: What sustainable solutions are being considered?

A: The project team is exploring practical, cost-effective strategies to support a healthy and efficient learning environment. Although a geothermal mechanical system was thoroughly investigated, the site's compacted bedrock due to the impact crater and uncertain federal funding availability make it impractical and cost prohibitive. Instead, resources will be allocated to enhance other sustainable features, such as the building envelope, energy-efficient mechanical equipment, and solar energy collection.

 

Q: What is planned for the green space portion of the project?

A: The design includes intentional green space to support student wellness, outdoor learning, and recreation. The outdoor areas will be used for instruction, play, and community enjoyment. featuring playgrounds, basketball hoops, and tennis courts (with lines for pickleball), providing diverse options for students and the community. There will be separate playground areas on the east and west sides of the school to accommodate different age groups and age specific needs.

 

Q: What types of accessibility features are present?

Elevator access is available in the first and second grade corridor near the commons. All areas of the building are ADA compliant, including, but not limited to, classrooms, staff work areas, entryways, doorways, and bathroom facilities.

 

Q: Is the District adding a competition gym to the school?                             

A: Yes.  The School Board voted to support expanding the elementary gym (which was originally planned to be 10,000 square feet with locker rooms for sports practice) to accommodate an additional competition gym within the district that can accommodate varsity play. This new gym space will serve both school and community activities. An early childhood gym is also included in the project to meet the needs of the youngest learners. The elementary school will use both spaces for physical education, indoor recess, school assemblies, and other activities.

 

Q: Why are there two gyms areas in the new elementary school project?

The decision to include both a large competitive gym and a smaller instructional gym is grounded in evidence-based architectural principles that support physical activity, student engagement, and long-term operational flexibility.

 

The smaller instructional gym is intentionally designed for early childhood and elementary learners. It provides a comfortable, age-appropriate space that encourages movement, participation, and skill development in a setting tailored to their physical and developmental needs.

 

The larger competitive gym, while also supporting instructional use, is designed to accommodate building-wide activities such as full-school assemblies, indoor recess during inclement weather, and district-wide events. Its size and layout make it suitable for staff gatherings, athletic competitions, and community programming—including parks and recreation leagues, club practices, and tournaments.

 

This dual-gym approach reflects key principles from the Physical Activity Design Guidelines for School Architecture (Brittin et al., 2015), emphasizing flexibility, visibility, and right-sizing. By designing with intentionality, the school ensures that each space serves a distinct but complementary role—supporting inclusive physical education, optimizing scheduling, and enhancing long-term value for both students and the broader community.

 

Q: How do the new classroom sizes compare to the current classrooms at John Cline Elementary School?

A: The new elementary school reflects a strategic expansion and modernization of learning environments compared to the current John Cline Elementary. Kindergarten and Early Childhood classrooms will be slightly larger and enhanced with dedicated locker, collaboration, and restroom areas. First grade classrooms will increase significantly in size, while second grade spaces will remain comparable to current dimensions and match the new first grade layout. Special subject areas will see the most dramatic improvements: the music room will more than double in size, the art room will nearly double, and the physical education space will expand slightly with the addition of a multipurpose / early childhood gym.

 

Q: What does “State of the Art School and Flexibility for the future” mean?

A. The new building will incorporate technology integration, adaptable learning spaces, and sustainable features to create an optimal and dynamic educational environment that can evolve with changing needs and advancements. It ensures personalized, inclusive, and project-based spaces to allow for varied learning experiences.  Some of these items include: intervention spaces for small groups and collaborative meetings for students and teachers, professional learning community space for larger group meetings, improving teacher collaborations to support their learners, large “specials/exploratory/multipurpose” classrooms for project storage and rehearsal space, accessibility features, such as elevators, ADA compliant doorways and bathrooms facilities, and technology integration; robust wi-fi and digital tools to enhance learning.