New school construction committee meeting (5-19-08)
May 22nd, 2008 . by SuzanFrank & I were able to make it to Monday night’s new school construction committee meeting, as promised. A few committee members were absent, though I couldn’t tell you which ones – I recognize most of their names (as published in the paper a few weeks ago), but am not 100% sure which faces to match them with.
Steve Elliott, the district’s architect from Little Rock, was back with the latest revisions to the layout for the new elementary school. He took the many suggestions from last week’s meeting and incorporated them (and a few more) into the plans, and this time included a 3-D rendering of the campus as well. The committee members were pleased with most of the changes, but over the course of the meeting ended up identifying even more “spaces” that were lacking – English Language Learners (ELL) and conference room space are just two that I can recall off the top of my head – so it looks like more revisions will be in the works. (Remember last week? They’ve only got 50 spare square feet to play with before they reach 138,000 square feet, the maximum they’ve been approved for by the state.)
Several committee members will travel to other schools before the end of the school year, to check out various aspects that are similar to the plan for the MH school, including the enclosed courtyard; some people are concerned that it will be difficult to maintain, having green growing spaces “inside” the building. The schools they discussed visiting were Springdale, Cabot & Vilonia. No mention was made what form of transportation they would use to make the trip(s).
Also – I haven’t confirmed it yet, but it looks like I told you a fib last week. I said, “[I]f you were to stand on West Road and look up the hill toward the school district’s Admin Office, the new school would be on your right.” Apparently I’m wrong about that, by 180º … based on a couple of things Mr. Elliott said in this last meeting, the new campus will actually be on the OTHER side of West Road, where the new Rodeo Drive extension is going in. So — as I understand it now – if you were to stand at the intersection of West Road and Rodeo Drive, with your back to the school district’s Admin Office, the new school would be across the highway on your right (same side of the road as Elmcroft). I’ve got an e-mail in to him, asking the question; if I learn otherwise, I’ll let you know.
One last thing: the committee voted to not hold a meeting next Monday night, which is Memorial Day.