Decorah Elementary Updates
PROJECT PLANS
Preliminary Designs: A Snapshot of Progress
As we share these early renderings and plans, it's important to keep in mind that designs may continue to evolve throughout the upcoming bidding, construction, and final design phases. These visuals represent our current direction and are intended to provide clarity on where we are today—not necessarily the final product.
Below, you’ll find several key design elements:
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Site Plan:
A scaled, top-down view of the proposed elementary school site, showing the building layout, playgrounds, parking areas, landscaping, and road access. Additional zoomed-in images are included to highlight specific features.
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Floor Plan:
A detailed look at both floors of the new building, with each space labeled according to its current design.
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3D Renderings:
These visualizations offer a three-dimensional perspective of the building from various angles around the site, helping to illustrate the overall look and feel of the future school.
We’re excited to share this progress and will continue to update the community as the project moves forward.
Continue to scroll down to view or click on an area of interest
Common Areas / Classrooms
We’re thrilled to show you how our new elementary school is taking shape! Below, you’ll find renderings of the building’s common areas and classroom spaces—designed to create welcoming, functional environments for students and staff. These images reflect the thoughtful planning and collaboration that have gone into the designs up to this point, and we’re excited for you to see the vision coming to life.
Gymnasium & Multipurpose / Early Childhood Gym
The decision to include both a large competitive gym and a smaller instructional gym is based on evidence-driven design principles that promote physical activity, student engagement, and long-term operational flexibility. It is important to note that the cost of the larger competitive gym is not covered through the bond passed last November. The district will fund this additional expense through PPEL/SAVE resources.
The smaller instructional gym is purposefully designed for early childhood and elementary learners. It offers a comfortable, age-appropriate environment that encourages movement, participation, and skill development in a space tailored to their physical and developmental needs.
The larger competitive gym, while also supporting instructional use, is designed for 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 aligns with key principles outlined in the Physical Activity Design Guidelines for School Architecture (Brittin et al., 2015), emphasizing flexibility, visibility, and right-sizing. By designing with intentionality, the school and district ensure that each space serves a distinct yet complementary role—supporting physical education, optimizing scheduling, and delivering long-term value for students and the broader community.
PLAYGROUNDS:
Designed for All Ages
The new elementary school will feature two dedicated playgrounds, thoughtfully designed to provide safe, engaging, and developmentally appropriate play experiences for students of varying age groups.
Key design recommendations that guided this effort include:
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Creating two separate playgrounds to support age-specific play and safety
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Installing fencing around each playground to provide clear boundaries, prevent equipment from entering nearby streets, and ensure student safety without limiting community access
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Increasing the number of swings to meet student demand
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Using turf surfacing to improve drainage and long-term durability
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Expanding green space for early childhood exploration and play
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Establishing defined line-up areas to support safe and organized transitions
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Adding equipment such as four square and basketball courts to promote active play
These playgrounds are designed not only for school-day use but also to serve as a welcoming space for the community after hours.
PLAYGROUND FENCING:
Prioritizing Safety and Welcoming Community Use
Fencing has been thoughtfully included in the playground design to enhance safety, especially given the close proximity to surrounding streets. These barriers serve multiple purposes: they help guide students during recess, prevent balls and equipment from entering roadways, and reduce the need for staff to retrieve items from unsafe areas.
Importantly, the fencing is not intended to restrict access, but rather to create a secure and well-defined space for play. The community is encouraged to enjoy these playgrounds outside of school hours. To support this, we are considering signage at entry gates to clearly communicate that these areas are open for public use during evenings and weekends.
By combining safety with accessibility, fencing helps ensure that students are protected during the school day while also inviting families and neighbors to enjoy the space as a shared community resource.
PLAYGROUNDS:
Designed for All Ages
The new elementary school will feature two dedicated playgrounds, thoughtfully designed to provide safe, engaging, and developmentally appropriate play experiences for students of varying age groups.
Key design recommendations that guided this effort include:
-
Creating two separate playgrounds to support age-specific play and safety
-
Installing fencing around each playground to provide clear boundaries, prevent equipment from entering nearby streets, and ensure student safety without limiting community access
-
Increasing the number of swings to meet student demand
-
Using turf surfacing to improve drainage and long-term durability
-
Expanding green space for early childhood exploration and play
-
Establishing defined line-up areas to support safe and organized transitions
-
Adding equipment such as four square and basketball courts to promote active play
These playgrounds are designed not only for school-day use but also to serve as a welcoming space for the community after hours.
PLAYGROUND FENCING:
Prioritizing Safety and Welcoming Community Use
Fencing has been thoughtfully included in the playground design to enhance safety, especially given the close proximity to surrounding streets. These barriers serve multiple purposes: they help guide students during recess, prevent balls and equipment from entering roadways, and reduce the need for staff to retrieve items from unsafe areas.
Importantly, the fencing is not intended to restrict access, but rather to create a secure and well-defined space for play. The community is encouraged to enjoy these playgrounds outside of school hours. To support this, we are considering signage at entry gates to clearly communicate that these areas are open for public use during evenings and weekends.
By combining safety with accessibility, fencing helps ensure that students are protected during the school day while also inviting families and neighbors to enjoy the space as a shared community resource.
PARKING:
Expanded Parking: Supporting School Needs and Community Access
The new elementary school will feature expanded and strategically designed parking to better serve staff, families, and visitors. At John Cline Elementary, the current lot includes just 22 total spaces—5 unofficial, 2 ADA-accessible, and 15 standard spots—far short of the 61 staff members currently working there. This has often led to overflow parking along Claiborne Drive, North State Street, and Heivly Street.
With the merger of two schools into one, the new facility will accommodate 75 staff members, and the updated parking plan reflects that need. The design includes:
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92 parking spaces (including 4 ADA-accessible) in the northeast/front lot
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13 additional spaces (including 2 ADA-accessible) in the southeast/rear lot
Beyond meeting daily operational needs and the city code requiring approximately 90 parking spaces, this expanded parking will also benefit the broader community. It will provide convenient access during events at Decorah High School, reducing the need for street parking and long walks. Additionally, it supports community use of on-site amenities such as the playgrounds, pickleball and tennis courts, making it easier for residents to enjoy these recreational spaces year-round.
This thoughtful approach to parking ensures the site is not only functional but also welcoming and accessible for everyone.
PARENT AND BUS DROP-OFF
Traffic Flow & Safety: Thoughtful Planning for Arrival and Dismissal
While the project remains in the design phase, one key feature being considered is the inclusion of two separate entrances to support safe and efficient traffic flow. These entrances are designed to reduce congestion, improve safety for students, and streamline drop-off and pick-up procedures.
Northeast Entrance – Parent Drop-Off & Parking
Located on the northeast side of the new elementary school, this entrance features a dedicated parking lot and two access points to the street. This layout is designed to create a smooth, patterned flow of vehicles, improving both safety and efficiency during peak times. The additional parking will also make it easier for families to find a space and walk their children to the entrance.
Southwest Entrance – Bus Drop-Off & Staff Parking
The southwest side of the building will serve primarily as a bus drop-off lane and staff parking area. Separating bus and parent traffic helps reduce safety risks and ensures a more organized arrival and dismissal process.
As we move closer to opening, detailed logistics and traffic procedures will be communicated to families to ensure a smooth transition. These design elements reflect our commitment to student safety, operational efficiency, and a welcoming experience for all.
TENNIS AND PICKLEBALL COURTS:
Designed for Recreation and Community Engagement
The new elementary school site will feature 3 multi-use courts; each marked for both tennis and pickleball play, and three additional tennis courts. This dual-purpose design supports a variety of recreational activities for students and community members alike.
To enhance the experience for spectators, a designated viewing area will be located on the east side of the courts, providing comfortable access for families and visitors during school events and community use.
3D Renderings:
A Glimpse into the Future: 3D Renderings of Our New Elementary School
As part of our continued effort to share progress on the new elementary school, we’re excited to unveil a few additional three-dimensional renderings. These visuals offer a more immersive look at what’s ahead giving you a sense of the building’s design, layout, and overall feel.
While these renderings represent our current direction, please keep in mind that details may continue to evolve throughout the final design, bidding, and construction phases. Think of these images as a snapshot in time, an inspiring preview of what’s to come.
We hope these renderings help bring the vision to life and build excitement for the incredible learning environment we’re creating together.
FLOOR PLANS
A Preview of What’s Ahead
We’re excited to share the current floor plans for the new elementary school—an important step in visualizing the future learning environment for our students and staff. These plans offer a detailed look at how spaces are being thoughtfully organized to support collaboration, creativity, and growth.
As with all aspects of the project, please keep in mind that these designs may continue to evolve as we move through the final stages of bidding and construction. What you see today is a snapshot of our progress and a reflection of the incredible work and input from our design partners and school community.
We hope these plans spark excitement and help bring the vision of our new school to life!