Published: November 03, 2009 10:06 pm      

Elementary schools need more space

EDMOND — EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first in a three-part series examining needs listed on the Nov. 10 Edmond Public Schools bond election. Today’s story examines plans for elementary schools. Thursday’s story will focus on middle school needs; Friday’s story will look at high school needs.



Six Edmond elementary schools are literally bursting at the seams, and passage of the Nov. 10 Bond Election will alleviate the majority of their problems, school officials say.

Additions to the elementary schools will account for more than half of the $36.12 million bond issue election set for Nov. 10. Fifty-two other bond issues have passed in the past 50 years.

Growth for most of the schools is attributed to new housing additions going up near the schools.

West Field Elementary at 17601 N. Pennsylvania has 679 students, and students are using four areas that were not intended for regular classrooms.

Passage of the bond issue would construct and equip a 12-classroom addition at a cost of $5 million.

“With our projected growth we anticipate having to add teachers to some grade levels in the future as we are growing,” said Principal Cara Jernigan.

“We have only been open four years, but my understanding is the student numbers were in the 400s the first year. We have grown close to 300 students in the past three years.”

Jernigan attributed the student numbers to growth in the neighborhoods.

“We have no other room for additional students,” Jernigan said. “With the passing of the bond we would have the space available to have all-day kindergarten.”

Passage of the bond issue also would allow the construction of a nine-classroom addition at Cross Timbers Elementary at 4800 N. Kelly. The cost is estimated to be $5.8 million.

“On Oct. 1 last year our official student count was 790 and this year we had 880 students,” said Principal Cathey Bugg. “This will enable us to be an Early Childhood Development Center that will house pre-kindergarten, all-day kindergarten and developmental delay kindergarten classes in addition to our first- through fifth-grade classes.”

The center will be designed specifically for younger students. A multi-purpose room will allow meals to be served with furniture appropriate for the children and their size. It also will include therapy rooms for those that need speech, occupational and physical therapy, Bugg said. “We are tremendously excited about having this program.”

All of the classrooms are full at this time. “Some classes are extremely large with as many as 26 in a classroom,” Bugg said, “as are a number of classrooms in Edmond.”

State law mandates 21 students in elementary classrooms, unless the district is bonded at 85 percent of capacity, which is the case in the Edmond school district.

“We have had growth since the beginning of the school year,” Bugg said. “Even though we started out with smaller class sizes, during the year children move into the school and those classes increased in size.”

Passage of the 2009 bond issue would allow a six-classroom addition to be built and equipped at Centennial Elementary at a cost $2.5 million. Centennial is at 400 N. Coltrane.

Improvements at Will Rogers Elementary School at 1215 E. Ninth St. would include a six-classroom addition at a cost of $3.8 million.

A three-classroom addition including renovation of some restrooms and expanding the existing kitchen at a cost of $1.6 million is planned for Clegern Elementary at 601 S. Jackson.

With 266 students, Bill Powell, Clegern’s principal, says the student enrollment stays stable because of the open enrollment lottery at both Clegern and Russell Dougherty.

“That is full,” Powell said. “We don’t have neighborhood boundaries. They have to go through application and random drawing. District mandate is 24 students in fourth and fifth grade.”

With the passage of the bond issue, the school will be able to offer all-day kindergarten, have a room for music and health and an additional classroom that would give flexibility for classroom uses.

“Teachers would not have to share a classroom,” Powell said.

Improvements at Ida Freeman Elementary at 501 W. Hurd would include a three-classroom addition, as well as expanding and improving the cafeteria and kitchen within the existing facility at a cost of $2 million.

“We have probably added 35 students this year including five sections of full-day kindergarten,” said Principal Brenda McDonald. “We also have pre-kindergarten as well. All of our classrooms are completely full.”

New home construction in two areas near the school accounts for the projected numbers of students who will attend Ida Freeman. Additions also will include enlarging the cafeteria and stage area in order to better promote fine arts, McDonald said.

“We need to keep up with the growth of the student population.”