Actions

Hamilton School District asking voters to approve sale of middle school

Staff say the reasons for wanting to get rid of the school include overcrowding, amenities, and safety.

Staff and board members are taking a different approach after voters rejected a bond request to build a new middle school in Hamilton.

By: Emily Brown

Posted

and last updated

HAMILTON — After a bond to build a new middle school overwhelmingly failed in front of Hamilton School District voters last year, staff and board members are taking a different approach on this year's ballots.

Now, they are requesting approval from voters to sell the school — a building that staff said they have outgrown.

"My kids have gone through this school, both of them. And I think it's pretty evident that we need to make it better," shared Chair of the Hamilton School District Board Patrick Hanley.

"We're not going to sell at the lowest bidder. We're trying to get the best value we can." — Hamilton School District Board Chair Patrick Hanley

Hanley said he has seen firsthand what he calls a building beyond renovation. "Daly Elementary and Hamilton High School are in great shape and so we need to get the last piece which is the middle school."

The middle school is split into two areas: the main building and the pod — which Principal Andrea Gray told MTN was built in the 1970s to address a lack of space.

"Here we are almost 50 years later with our temporary solution," stated Gray.

Staff said the reasons for wanting to get rid of the school include overcrowding, amenities, and safety.

"We have growing class sizes and no more classrooms to add teachers. Are we going to put a teacher on a cart that travels from room to room? That is not ideal and doesn't lend to a great learning environment." She continued, "We have no windows in most of our classrooms, so we have no natural light," Gray shared.

Plus, kids move between the pod and the main school at least seven times per day as classes are in one building and lockers are in another.

"What I would love to see is a solution that allows us to have all of our students housed in one building with a safe identified entrance," said Gray.

However, a bond to build a new middle school was shot down by voters last fall.

Superintendent Tom Korst detailed, "I think that the key concerns from the failure of the previous bond were the asking price and then not having a good comprehensive plan for all of our facilities."

This time, the district is requesting voter permission to sell the building. "The ballot question is to dispose of unusable and obsolete property. So, we're seeking voter permission to begin that process. With that permission, we can seek a potential buyer."

Korst shared that the district is just looking at options. If the school is sold, Korst noted kids will still have a place to learn.

"I think the proceeds eventually could be looked at either upgrading an existing facility or if the district were to want to run a bond, you could offset a bond by some amount of money," he explained.

Hamilton School District voters can expect to see a question about the future of the middle school on their ballots in the coming weeks.

"You have to make decisions about whether you're investing in your temporary solution or looking toward the future," offered Gray.