A construction project to add a covered play area to Clemens Primary School is estimated to begin May 20 with plans for it to be finished before fall classes begin, Philomath School District business manager Jennifer Griffith told the School Board during its March 21 meeting.
Board members learned more about the scope of the project, including visuals that illustrated exactly what areas of the building will be covered.
“It’s going to cover the walkway coming out from the gym doors and go out and around the back,” Griffith said.
In addition to the exit that leads directly outside from the gym, there are also doors at the end of a hallway that provides exterior access.
The school district met with the contractor, Corvallis-based Luna Design and Construction, on March 12 and established an estimated timeline. Plans call for the covered play area’s construction to be completed by Aug. 31 before kindergarteners and first graders begin school on Sept. 3. A previous timeline estimated the project would begin in June.
“They’ve ordered the materials and put the deposit down and everything and hoping to start even before school is out,” Griffith said, referring to the May 20 start date.
Temporary fencing will be erected to keep students out of the project area but Clemens Primary School Principal Abby Couture said accessibility to the playground and open field area will remain intact, including during the summer for kids in the Philomath Youth Activities Club’s Fun in the Sun program.
The School Board approved Luna Design and Construction’s $475,361 bid during a meeting in January. Funding for the project comes from the school district’s general fund, federal grant money and a $50,000 donation from the Clemens Foundation.
Couture has for years stressed the importance of a covered play area for her K-1 students as a needed, healthy option of getting outside even during the rainy season.
In other news out of the School Board’s March 21 meeting:
• The board approved a plan for the district to submit a waiver request to the Oregon Department of Education for instructional time relief because of the January ice storm that forced classes to be canceled over a three-day period. The proposal means that there would be no classes on May 24, a date that had previously been identified as a makeup day, and that the school year would end as planned on June 14 for students and June 17 for staff. The district already had a makeup day on Feb. 19. The state board approved a temporary rule allowing school districts to request permission for up to 14 hours less (two school days) instructional time than initially planned due to inclement weather closures.
• Superintendent of Schools Susan Halliday went through the ins and outs of interdistrict transfers, including how the district will fill available spots. She did point out that current interdistrict transfer students will be able to continue at Philomath but there will be a process for new students. The board at its April 18 meeting will be tasked with establishing the number of student transfer requests to approve for 2024-25. The initial allocation could be adjusted in the following months based on the latest enrollment information, she added.
• The board listened to reports on multi-tiered systems of support, a framework of strategies used to identify students who need assistance, initiate a response plan, track progress and make improvements over time. Also commonly known as MTTS, educators participating in the presentation included Eric Beasley, Philomath-Blodgett Elementary principal; Molly Bell, PES teacher; Abby Couture, Clemens Primary principal; Adeline Stewart, Philomath Middle School teacher; Steve Bell, PMS principal; Mark Henderson, Philomath High principal; and DeeDee Collins, PHS vice principal.
• Nancy Griffith, Linn Benton Lincoln Education Service District assistant superintendent, provided a brief overview of data related to its services. The board also listened to reports from David Dunham (Philomath Education Association) and Raegan McKinney (student government).
• Jennifer Griffith reported progress on the Budget Committee process. She also pointed out that enrollment in the district was approaching 1,700, a number that hasn’t been seen in “quite some time.”
• The board scheduled a work session for 7 p.m. April 25 to discuss district and superintendent goals. The board also planned to reach out to the Kings Valley Charter School’s board about scheduling a possible joint work session at 6 p.m. April 16.
• Board member Joe Dealy read a routine report into the public record on the superintendent’s evaluation.
• The board approved a consent agenda that included personnel adjustments, including news of the retirement of longtime Clemens Primary School teacher K’Lynn Coleman.
