Document text
Eagle Point plans for new schools By DAMIAN MANN EAGLE POINT � Residents on Saturday began laying the groundwork to demolish aging Eagle Point Junior High School and replace it with two new middle schools by fall 2003. About 70 residents and Eagle Point School District employees looked at possible designs for a middle school in Eagle Point and another in White City. "I think the fact that the current school is substandard makes this a wonderful thing," said Shady Cove resident Teresa Hulla, who is on the facilities committee for the project. Superintendent Bill Jones said the two 450-student campuses will cost an estimated $9 million each. Voters approved a $34 million bond last November that will also finance a new elementary school � projected to cost $7 million. It will also pay for classroom additions at Mountain View Elementary and Shady Cove School, as well as improvements to the district�s other schools. John Weekes, a principal partner with the Portland-based architectural firm Dull Olson Weekes, said schools are now being designed with a more open, airy feel, particularly in such large rooms as libraries. This allows more use of natural light to save on electricity costs, but some studies suggest this could also help improve learning, he said. Multi-use rooms that can accommodate a cafeteria and gymnasium are also part of many modern design schemes, he said. Often wood shop, metal and welding are combined into one class in newer schools, he said. Some districts even work together with a city or town for joint use of a facility. "One school has a library that is shared with the city," said Weekes. The interior of some campuses resemble malls, others office buildings. "You can see that schools are starting to look different." Many districts are going without lockers, partly to save money. Weekes said this community will have to deal with the issue. To save money, Weekes said, the middle schools would share similar designs. The district wants to raze the existing school, because this outdated facility, built in 1948 as part of Camp White, has become literally too creaky to give students a proper education. Eagle Point resident Lori Butler, who works for the district and has children in its schools, said the old radiator pipes are so loud sometimes "we can�t talk over the banging." Another resident, Chris Wyatt, said, "We have spent so many years of putting Band-Aids on this old building." Eagle Point residents are also tired of the major traffic jam caused by having Glenn D. Hale Elementary school on the same stretch of Main Street. "Have you ever been here at 3 in the afternoon when school lets out?" Butler asked. The district last week also announced that it needed to save almost $1 million in next year�s budget by making cutbacks in staff. Though the district faces this projected shortfall, money from the bonds cannot legally be used to help the general fund. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.