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Phoenix-Talent aims to fix up schools By Vicki Guarino of the Mail Tribune PHOENIX -- Parents, business owners and other adults interested in education in their community have gone back to school this fall. They've visited schools and talked to staff, studying problems of crowded classrooms, aging ventilation systems and other building needs in the Phoenix-Talent School District. The committee, an advisory panel to the school board, is just about ready to work out possible plans to update schools and accommodate growth in the 2,800-student district. The group began meeting in September to evaluate a variety of building needs. Some schools are full and soon will need more classroom space. At Talent Middle School, for example, new classrooms that opened last year accommodate the current enrollment of 650. Enrollment is expected to increase sharply in the next few years. Ultimately, the district may aim for a construction bond measure in November 2000 to finance building projects. But so far, the committee hasn't decided whether to recommend a bond vote to the school board. "I think that's premature," Phoenix-Talent School Board chairwoman Laura Lotspeich said Thursday. Lotspeich has been among the 30-40 district residents examining school needs. "It seems like a bond might be necessary, but nobody has come to that conclusion. "And even if the committee says, `I think we should do this,' it still has to go through the school board." The committee has held four meetings and is expected to meet two more times to complete its work. Recommendations are expected to go to the school board in February. At its next meeting, on Jan. 11, the committee is expected to review growth projections. Consultant Judith Barmack, Portland, will report on population projections, growth trends and impact on schools. Barmack has produced similar projections for other Jackson County school districts. She has projected rapid growth in the middle school, said Phoenix-Talent business manager Doug Spani. He said the report shows that a considerable portion of the district's growth comes from new residents from outside Oregon. Barmack noted an Ashland growth effect on the district, Talent in particular. Families are attracted to the Ashland community, but are unable to afford Ashland homes. They choose to live in Talent instead, because of the town's affordable homes and proximity to Ashland's amenities. Overall, Spani said, Barmack is projecting a continuation of slow-but-steady increases in school enrollment in the next several years. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA