Geneva school switch may work for renovations
Problem: How to run a safe, focused school while Harrison Street Elementary, 201 N. Harrison St., is being renovated in 2008 and 2009?
Coincidentally: What to do with an empty Coultrap Elementary School next school year, when its student body moves in to the brand-new Williamsburg Elementary School?
Hmmmmm....
A task force of Harrison Street staff and Geneva school district administrators presented a plan to the school board Monday night to move all of Harrison, for the 2008-09 school year, into Coultrap, rather than having construction work go on while school is in session.
Coultrap Elementary School, on the west side of town at 1116 Peyton St., is due to shut down after this school year.
The school board hasn't decided what to do with Coultrap yet. A 2006 facilities master plan recommends tearing down a north wing to make room for the expansion of Geneva High School, which is next-door. The plan also suggests that the administrative offices of the district move into Coultrap.
The district offices are now in the old Fourth Street Elementary School, 227 N. Fourth St.
Coultrap opened in the late 1920s as a high school. It has also served as a junior high school.
Harrison Street Elementary, on the east side of town, was due to have asbestos removal in its 12 first- through third-grade classrooms starting after spring break this year. Total building renovations, including rewiring, replumbing and reroofing in the summer and next school year. The primary classes would have been stashed in the art, music, band, orchestra and therapy rooms as well as in one of the school's two gymnasiums.
It would also help with other aspects of construction, such as making room for the dozens of cars the construction workers would want to park at the site, as well as storage and staging of construction materials, according to Superintendent Kent Mutchler.
If the move were done, all Harrison students would be eligible for busing. Right now about half take the bus. The district had already bought five buses for next year, so it can handle the extra work, according to Rebecca Allard, assistant superintendent for business, and the state will pick up some of the cost. The price for moving teacher materials over to Coultrap would be part of the cost of renovation. Allard also said the district may get better prices on bids for the work if it is done in less time, because contractors worry inflation could increase costs in 2009 and may try to cover for that in their offers.
Issues with parent parking for special events at Coultrap, and with drop-off traffic, are a detail the Harrison Street task force will look at before the board considers voting on the matter. There are parking restrictions around the Coultrap neighborhood to prevent Geneva High School students from parking on the streets all day.
Information forums about the proposal are scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday and Jan. 24 at Harrison Street Elementary. The Harrison PTO will also receive a presentation tonight.
If, after community input, the task force continues to think this is a good idea, it will be brought to a vote at the Jan. 28 or Feb. 11 school board meeting.