Medford school board talks school building needs

The Medford School Board is getting the ball rolling on a potential November 2024 referendum to address educational building needs and to get ahead of maintenance needs district-wide.

What might be included in that possible referendum in regard to school district improvements was the subject of a community meeting held at Medford Area Senior High School on November 29.

At Monday’s school board meeting, members reviewed plans from previous unsuccessful referendum attempts to see what, if anything they would consider including in the future.

Some of the projects that were part of that previous referendum attempt have been accomplished using budget and COVID-era grant funding. This includes items on the district’s building maintenance long term plans and the ongoing project to expand and renovate the offi ce and main entrance at the high school. Board president Dave Fleegel drew attention to the planned classroom addition that was in the last referendum effort. He noted that while they would still love to have all of those classrooms, he questioned if it was possible to get at least some of them to improve educational offerings. The classroom additions had been previously proposed to address space issues in the science, technology and arts areas.

Fleegel also drew attention to the reconfiguration of the boys and girls locker rooms and team rooms to renovate those spaces and make the amount of space for each more equitable.

Fleegel also addressed the misconception some in the community have that the district is not keeping up with maintenance. Previous referendum efforts have included maintenance components, primarily for the district to get ahead on the maintenance schedule. Fleegel noted the district is spending $600,000 to $700,000 a year on facility maintenance improvements.

“We will continue to chew away at whatever needs to be done,” he said.

As some district building needs are checked off as being completed, others arise. For example, a review at the Medford Area Middle School identified the need to replace the front entrance doors and doors leading from the cafeteria “They need to be replaced as soon as possible,” said principal Judd Hraby. The doors are rusting and rotting out on the bottoms due to weather and salt.

“We can always use more classroom space, but those are the two big items at the middle school,” Hraby said.

School district director of buildings and grounds Adam Schwarz also noted the stage in the Middle School gym should be redone and the curtains there will need to be replaced. He said other than those things, the middle school is in good shape.

At the elementary schools, space is becoming a major issue. This year the district switched to an all-day PreK program. According to principal Dan Miller this has been very positively received by parents with a survey of those who made the switch from two-day PreK in the past to all day, noting favorable impacts not only on ability to find child care, but in the educational opportunities for the students going forward.

From a building needs perspective, the switch will require more classroom space to maintain the program going forward. The district took advantage of a dip in numbers in certain grades in both buildings to reduce the number of sections offered in those grades and use those classrooms. However, Miller is projecting the district will be back to five sections of Kindergarten at MAES and two sections of grades at Stetsonville Elementary School in the future which will result in a space crunch.

“We will need classroom space in both buildings,” Miller said.

Miller also noted that while there are 205 students at SES, there is just one set of student bathrooms. He said that when two classes of students are using the space it gets to be hectic. “There are too many kids in that space,” he said.

In addition to more bathrooms, he said there is a need for other spaces for pull-out space for special education needs. Portions of the school library space are being considered for this.

At MAES, he said the space concerns are even higher. “We have used every single room we have including a closet,” he said.

Miller said they are looking at the idea of remodeling the school library to steal some of that space to put in smaller pull out rooms which would free up classroom space currently being used for those services.

In addition, the gym floor at MAES was identified as a potential need with it lifting in places. It was also noted that the MAES roof is 25 years old and will need replacement at some point.

If a referendum is brought to school district voters next fall, it will be because community leaders step up to make it happen and not because it is being driven by school administration, as has been the perception in the past.

“We want this to be more community driven,” said district administrator Pat Sullivan.

He said they are asking other people to take more leadership and a main organizer role for the effort. He said administrators will be in more of a support role to answer questions and provide data rather than leading the effort.

Sullivan emphasized the need for more community involvement and leadership if a referendum effort moves forward. He said a lot will depend on the turnout for the community meeting, noting they have pushed hard to get the word out about it .

“I am hopeful we will see people show up,” Sullivan said, noting he is hopeful that those who did not support previous referendums will attend as well and give their input.

He further emphasized that while the last referendum attempts have focused on the high school they are looking at all district needs.

Sullivan said they plan to have representatives from Baird at the meeting to provide tax impact projections for various levels of projects.

In other business, board members:

Approved a new three- year contract with Krug’s Bus Service to provide bus services for the district. The first year will include an increase of 3.2% with years two and three based on cost of living adjustments with increases of 3% to a maximum of 5.5%. According to transportation committee chairman Steve Deml, under the contract, if the cost of living hits 9% the district and Krug’s will meet and discuss changes at that time. The mileage rates will remain the same as current for the new contract.

“I would like to commend you and your group,” said board member Brian Hallgren praising the transportation committee for the agreement.

“I think it is fair to both sides,” Deml said of the agreement.

Approved the annual Library Media Plan. This is an annual plan the district is required to generate. Curriculum director Laura Lundy noted things have come full circle with the district previously having to do library plans which morphed into requiring technology plans, and are now back to being library plans. The library is the major front-line for technology in the district buildings, so there is significant overlap.

Reminded community members about the spring elections. Members Fleegel, Jodi Nuernberger and Don Everhard are up for reelection this spring. Nomination papers for them or anyone wishing to challenge them in the spring election are available for circulation from the school district office. Nomination papers must be returned to the school district office by 4 p.m. on January 2.